Former Deputy Leader of the United National Party and MP Ravi Karunanayake raised concerns in Parliament over multiple issues affecting the tourism sector and foreign exchange inflows, submitting a question to the ruling party under Standing Order 27/2.
He said he expects a formal response from the government regarding regulatory failures in the tourism industry, particularly in the context of weak foreign exchange inflows and the fact that around 40,000 hotel units remain unregistered.
The MP pointed out that although tourist arrivals exceeded 2.36 million in 2025, total tourism revenue increased only marginally to about US$ 3.22 billion.
He further stated that the average expenditure of a tourist visiting the country has declined by approximately 12 percent.
In this context, Karunanayake said foreign exchange inflows from tourism, as reflected in the Central Bank’s reserves, have not increased in proportion to the rise in tourist arrivals.
