What is the process to check if a tour company is government-approved?

You can check if a tour company is legitimate by asking for their registration number and then matching it directly on the official Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) website. This helps confirm they work legally and also that they meet the national safety requirements in practice.

Legitimate operators usually display their SLTDA registration details on their website pages, and on official letterheads as well. The government database contains the authorised Destination Management Companies (DMCs) and travel agents. So, checking this credential is your main defence against unregulated “ghost operators” who provide zero financial safeguards or physical security.