Archives

Ticket touts shown the door at Pinnawela

by Tharika Goonathilake

Pinnawela Zoo authorities will issue a newly-designed ticket to curb discrepancies that have cropped up as a result of an illegal ticket re-selling racket.

The move is aimed at enticing tourists to take the ticket back home as a souvenir, without discarding it or getting a second party to acquire the tickets, which has resulted in a major scam.

One of Sri Lanka's major tourist attractions - the Pinnawela orphanage is a popular stopover for tourists visiting the country. Around 10,000-15,000 foreigners visit the orphanage every month.

The racket was discovered after several unauthorised personnel operating as tourist guides were caught reselling the same tickets to unsuspecting foreign visitors, Zoo Director Brigadier H.A.N.D. Perera told the 'Daily News' yesterday.

He said that despite repeated warnings, they had operated in the Zoo especially in the elephant bathing area offering foreign visitors `guided tours'. A Pinnawela zoo worker who had attempted to intervene had also been assaulted by a so called `guide'.

"The modus operandi of these unauthorised tour guides is to waylay tourists on their way to Pinnawela. They promise extra tours in the so-called `Spice Gardens.' This is part of the deal for hiring them as their tour guide. Then they purchase the tickets on behalf of the foreigners and then resell the same tickets to other groups several times a day," the Director said.

According to the Brigadier, foreigners who are charged Rs 200 each represent a large proportion of the visitors. This practice has resulted in a massive revenue loss to the Pinnawela Zoo for the past few years.

"We have banned the entry of these tour guides as a precautionary measure. Tourists too should not be misled by these unauthorised personnel since no guided tour is necessary at the Pinnawela orphanage," he said.

The brigadier said that if this kind of measure was not taken it would reflect very badly both on the orphanage as well as on the genuine tour guides who do not resort to such unscrupulous acts.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager