Opinion: The Case for Promoting LGBTQIA+ Friendly Tourism in Sri Lanka
Not long ago, the Sri Lankan government faced heavy criticism for waiving visa fees for Israeli tourists. Now, it finds itself in the spotlight again after the Minister of Tourism announced plans to explore LGBTQIA+ Tourism as a means of promoting inclusivity in the travel sector. In this post, I wish to clarify my stance on this decision and why I choose to support it. My support does not stem from an endorsement of LGBTQIA+ ideologies or lifestyles. Rather, it comes from a belief that every tourist, regardless of background, deserves safety, dignity, and respect while visiting our country. I firmly condemn homosexuality and other associated practices that go against my moral and spiritual values. However, I do not condemn the individual. Each person, regardless of their sexual orientation, is a human being worthy of compassion, fairness, and the right to travel without fear or discrimination.
It’s LGBTQIA+ (Friendly) Tourism
I believe the minister misspoke when he said the ministry plans to promote LGBTQIA+ Tourism. The correct term should be LGBTQIA+ Friendly Tourism. This concept focuses on making travel experiences welcoming, inclusive, and safe for people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and others within the broader LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Contrary to what some politicians and clergy members suggest, it does not promote sexual behavior or orientation. Instead, it ensures that everyone can travel without fear of discrimination or harassment. It includes providing safe accommodations, training tour operators to serve all guests with respect, enforcing non-discriminatory laws, and creating marketing that promotes equal treatment. In essence, LGBTQIA+ Friendly Tourism stands for equality, dignity, and safety in travel, ensuring that every visitor—regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation—can experience the same comfort and respect as any other traveler.
A Question for MP Ramanathan Archuna
Remember the boy who cried “wolf” in my old article about the Kotelawala Defence University? He lied to gain attention. Minister Ramanathan Archchuna, now criticizing the government’s decision on LGBTQIA+ Friendly Tourism, is no different. He knows perfectly well that the initiative aims to make travel safe and inclusive for all, not to promote sexual behavior or orientation. Yet, he mocks it for political mileage, saying, “You can call me an idiot, but at least I am not gay.” [source: Daily Mirror Online] Does that mean people with different orientations are idiots? His record speaks volumes: arrests for misconduct, assaulting a motorist in 2021, threatening a hospital director in 2024, and being expelled from Parliament in 2025 for repeated disruptions. Most recently, he was arrested again for obstructing police duty. His behavior proves who the real fool is. So here my question for Mr. Archuna, honorable member of the Parliament. Where was your outrage when Sri Lanka’s first Pride Parade took place in June 2024?
A Question for Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith
Tourists identifying as gay have been visiting Sri Lanka since it was officially declared an international tourist destination in 1967, and tourism existed in smaller forms even before that. Can anyone honestly believe that refusing to promote LGBTQIA+ Friendly Tourism will prevent society from exposure to LGBTQIA+ culture despite Cardinal Malcolm opposing the approach? [source: NewsWire] Meanwhile, the Catholic Church has faced thousands of cases of child sexual abuse by priests, nuns, and other members of religious life. In the United States alone, over 11,000 complaints have been filed, and dioceses have paid hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements. Can we rule out the possibility of similar misconduct by clergy members in Sri Lanka? If not, should we then call for a ban on the Roman Catholic Church altogether? That is my question for His Eminence, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith.
Wrap Up
In conclusion, promoting LGBTQIA+ Friendly Tourism is not about endorsing a particular lifestyle or moral stance but about ensuring equality, dignity, and safety for all travelers. Sri Lanka, as a nation that welcomes visitors from diverse cultures and beliefs, must rise above prejudice and political manipulation. The goal is to create an environment where every tourist, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, feels respected and protected under the same laws. It is hypocrisy to tolerate corruption, violence, and immorality in other forms yet condemn a policy that seeks inclusivity and fairness. True leadership requires wisdom, compassion, and consistency—not selective outrage aimed at securing votes or favor with religious institutions. If we genuinely want Sri Lanka to grow as a global destination, we must adopt a tourism model grounded in respect and equality, reflecting the hospitality and humanity that define our nation’s true spirit.
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