Unpleasant incident at Sigiriya

Visiting Sigiriya recently with my batchmates, I had a bitter experience in the frescoes area. A tourist had taken a photograph of the frescoes despite the warnings and it was immediately noticed by an officer who happened to be there.

What followed was an ugly sight to witness. The tourist was subjected to rather harsh treatment by the officer. True, the tourist had done a wrongful act by taking photographs, but he was also entitled to be dealt with, with decency and respect. As Sri Lankans, we should be conscious of our heritage and culture. But above all, we must learn to respect humanity.

The price of the entrance fee for a tourist is another issue at Sigiriya. A tourist has to pay around Rs. 4500 (30 USD ). Even though they pay such a sum there is a lack of necessary facilities (this issue had been previously discussed in this paper). On the other hand, my friend pointed out that European countries do not charge differently for tourists and citizens. I think these issues must be addressed soon if the country needs to reach its tourism related targets. Via email