Sri Lanka Boosts Tourist Security Amid Global Tensions; Hotline 1997 Now Active

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Public Security have advised the implementation of a special security program to ensure the safety of tourists, particularly in light of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

The Sri Lanka Police and intelligence services are currently developing and will execute this comprehensive security plan. 

The Tourist Police Division will be further strengthened, and all police stations will receive special directives from Acting Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya.

As an initial measure, tourists facing any security concerns can now contact Sri Lankan authorities via the emergency hotline 1997, which is operational from today.

Sri Lanka is anticipating a significant increase in tourist arrivals in the coming months. 

The statement from Sri Lanka Police comes after the US Embassy in Colombo said that U.S. citizens are strongly urged to avoid the Arugam Bay area until further notice.

The statement from the US Embassy said that the Embassy received credible information warning of an attack targeting popular tourist locations in the Arugam Bay area.

Due to the serious risk posed by this threat, the Embassy imposed a travel restriction on Embassy personnel for Arugam Bay effective immediately and until further notice.