Due to the humanitarian rescue operation carried out by the armed forces in the north east of Sri Lanka, large scale movement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to government controlled areas has taken place since Monday 20 April.

The Minister of Tourism, Milinda Moragoda, noting the necessity to provide relief supplies to the crisis affected community, requested the Ministry of Tourism, along with Sri Lanka Tourism - consisting of the four institutions functioning under the Ministry - to come up with resources to provide relief aid to the IDPs.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM), and Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) immediately held discussions and came up with Rs 1 million, to be utilized in providing relief supplies to the affected population. Nutritional food items including milk powder and biscuits, were purchased with this fund and the consignment was handed over to Temple Trees on Saturday 25 April, and was air lifted to the north east during the course of the same day.

Further to these measures, individual staff members of Sri Lanka Tourism have also come forward and made voluntary contributions to build up the fund for purchase of items urgently required by the IDPs.