Tourists visiting Sigiriya drop
The tourism industry in and around Sigiriya has come to a standstill after a drop in tourist arrivals following the Easter Sunday attacks. Residents around the fortress city, many of who were employed in various roles in the tourist industry have been hit hard with the drop in the number of local and foreign tourists.
Many residents of the area work as tour guides, three wheeler drivers, safari organisers and in hotels in the region. "Usually, 1,500- 2,000 foreign tourists visit the Sigiriya rock fortress each day. However, on May 3 only 80 tourists arrived," claimed Maj ( Rtd) Anura Nishantha, Project Manager of the Central Cultural Fund ( CCF). The number of local tourists had also declined from 2,000 to around 500, last week, he pointed out.
According to him, the Sri Lanka Air Force, Police and security service of the CCF have been deployed to ensure the safety of visiting tourists. "You can visit Sigiriya without worrying about your safety, we have taken all necessary measures to ensure your security," he added.