Sri Lankan authorities have withdrawn their support from an LGBT+ tourism initiative in the country.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) initially endorsed a proposal by Equal Ground, an LGBT+ advocacy group, to market the Indian Ocean island as an inclusive destination.
At the time of the decision last September, the SLTDA chairman, Buddhika Hewawasam, said the initiative could help diversify tourism markets and promote Sri Lanka as “safe and welcoming”.
However, local reporting has since detailed criticism of the endorsement, including from senior Buddhist monks and the head of the Catholic church in Sri Lanka, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith.
After the outcry, Sri Lanka’s Attorney General, Mr Parinda Ranasinghe, confirmed that it had withdrawn the letter of support.
“People in Sri Lanka are still uncomfortable speaking on this topic. It’s a cultural issue. It’s not Europe, it is still Asia. Practically, we have not advanced to that stage where parents would be alright with same sex marriages,” he said, according to the Telegraph.
“When we don’t know the kind of sexual orientation of the people who come to this country, what they do in their private time, it is nobody’s concern as long as they don’t engage in such activities in public,” he said.
Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, founder of Equal Ground, told The Independent that the withdrawal has caused them “total disappointment”.
“We are very disturbed by the news,” she said.
Ms Flamer-Caldera added that many LGBT+ people work in the country’s tourism industry.
She said that the National People's Power party, which is currently in government, came into office with a promise to the LGBT+ community that they would push for decriminalisation.
The UK’s foreign office warns LGBT+ travellers that same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Sri Lanka, but details that it is not aware of any prosecutions.
The CEO of LGBT+ travel company Out of Office, Darren Burn, told The Independent that the move was “short-sighted” and will “have consequences”.
“Sri Lanka remains an extraordinary destination, and importantly, there is still a strong network of hotels, guides and travel businesses that genuinely welcome LGBT+ travellers, including several that are proudly gay-owned and operated.
“However, decisions like this from the tourist board do have consequences. We send hundreds of clients to Sri Lanka each year, and news like this inevitably creates hesitation among travellers who want to feel openly welcomed and supported.
“It is a short-sighted move that risks damaging confidence in the destination globally. That said, for those who do choose to visit, Sri Lanka continues to offer incredible diversity, culture, and warmth, and we remain fully committed to helping LGBT+ travellers experience it safely and authentically,” he added.
Equal Ground’s project involves running inclusion programmes with tour operators, hotels and taxi drivers.
Ms Flamer-Caldera said that the initiative’s “sole purpose was to make Sri Lanka a friendly place for LGBT+ persons to visit and spend their money without judgment or harassment, without prejudice.”
“We are highly disappointed and we feel that the rhetoric that is going around is a deliberate attempt to tarnish the LGBT+ community and cause damage to our reputations.”
The Independent has contacted the SLTDA and the Attorney General’s office for comment.
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