Friday Feb 20, 2026
Friday Feb 20, 2026
Tuesday, 10 February 2026 05:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Amid Government plans to attract a minimum of 3 million tourists in 2026, alleged discriminatory practices against locals by certain restaurant owners in popular tourist destinations could negatively impact the country’s image and tourist arrivals, industry experts have warned.
The concerns emerged following a viral video recorded at a beachside restaurant in Tangalle, where a group of locals claimed they were refused service as the restaurant caters only to foreign tourists.
The incident was highlighted in a video recorded by three Sri Lankans from the UK, who said they were denied service at the restaurant.
“This guy refuses to serve us because we are brown. We are locals, and he says we don’t serve locals. There is nobody else in this restaurant,” said British-born Sri Lankan Harry Pereira, who has 43,000 followers on Instagram and was among the group. The video was shared on his Instagram account.
He further stated: “I get so much pressure on me, especially during the floods. Why are you not supporting the tourism industry? Sri Lanka really needs it right now. This is why. I’ve never faced racism like this in the UK,” he alleged, referring to the person at the restaurant’s cashier.
The video has sparked widespread concern among critics, who described the incident as shocking and unacceptable, noting that Sri Lankans were allegedly being refused service in their own country. They called for authorities to take action to prevent such behaviour.
“This has to be stopped. We need the authorities to come down hard on them. It was found that this was the third restaurant in Tangalle that treated them like this. Maybe there has to be an educational campaign conducted there,” critics suggested.
According to sources, the son of the restaurant owner had contacted Pereira and requested that he remove the post, but he had refused.
Sources further said that the restaurant owner had changed the restaurant’s name yesterday morning from ‘Tasty Tides’ to ‘Momos of Tangalle.’
