Drastic drop in tourist arrivals due to eVisa, Rauff Hakeem says

• Govt urged to take immediate corrective measures
• VFS Global to earn US $ 2.4 billion out of this business outsourced to them

By Yohan Perera 

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader MP Rauff Hakeem who  launched a scathing attack on the eVisa system said a significant drop  in tourist arrivals is reported because of its introduction, and urged  the government to take immediate corrective action. 

 Presenting data, he said a significant drop in tourist  arrivals had been reported from January 1 to April 15, 2024, the average  growth rate of tourist arrivals was an impressive 84 per cent compared  to the same period in 2023,” he stated.   “However, post-implementation of the eVisa service, this  growth rate plummeted to just 25.3 per cent from April 16 to June 30,  2024.”   The MP underscored that this drastic decline was a direct  result of the exorbitant visa fees. “Previously, there were no service  fees.   

 Now, tourists are required to pay an additional US $ 25 in  service fees on top of the government visa fee of US $ 50. This  represents a 50 per cent increase in the cost of obtaining a visa to  visit our country,” he said.   
The MP presented a graph to prove his point and said this  decline was confirmed by the Director General of the Sri Lanka Tourism  Development Authority, who had confirmed to the Committee on Public  Finance that the decline was due to the Visa fiasco!   

Countering VFS Global’s Justification, addressing a recent  press statement by VFS Global, which attempted to justify the high fees  by claiming that moderate increases do not affect tourist arrivals,  Hakeem labelled this assertion as grossly misleading. He said VFS Global  would earn profit amounting to US $ 2.4 billion out of this business  outsourced to them.   

“The increase in visa fees was not slight, moderate, or  marginal – it was exorbitant and arbitrary,” he argued. Such a  significant hike is bound to deter tourists, especially those from  budget-sensitive markets. Importance of Following Procurement Guidelines  Hakeem stressed the critical need for adherence to Sri Lanka’s 2016  Procurement Guidelines to avoid such anomalies. “If the procurement  guidelines had been strictly followed, many of these issues could have  been addressed,” he said.   

These guidelines ensure transparency, accountability, and  fairness in public procurements, which are essential to maintaining  public trust and achieving the best value for our nation.   
National Security Threat One of the gravest concerns raised  by Hakeem was the national security threat posed by the current eVisa  arrangement.   

“All data of arriving passengers into Sri Lanka is  collected by GBS/IVS through the website www.srilankaevisa.lk and stored  on servers owned by these entities,” he said.   

“This means that sensitive data is in the custody of  unknown third parties and non-state actors, posing severe security  risks.”   

He highlighted that the website is owned by VFS Global  Services Pvt Ltd, a company not registered in Sri Lanka, indicating that  the data is controlled by an external entity.   
“The custody of such sensitive data by an unverified entity  can lead to data breaches, misuse, and potential espionage,” he warned.    

“The lack of direct control over this data by Sri Lanka poses a significant threat to our national security.”   
Mr. Hakeem urged Parliament to take immediate action:  Reevaluate the Visa Fee Structure: Reduce the exorbitant service fees to  make Sri Lanka a more attractive destination for tourists, Strictly  Adhere to Procurement Guidelines: Ensure all future contracts and  agreements are made following established procurement guidelines to  prevent such anomalies, Eliminate Unnecessary Middlemen: Streamline  processes to eliminate the need for middlemen, thereby reducing costs  and enhancing transparency.