COLOMBO, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government will make a further allocation of 192,300 U.S. dollars for the development of tourist police, a minister here said on Friday.

Tourism Development Minister John Amaratunga told Xinhua that the government has already allocated Rs. 50 million (320,500 U.S. dollars) last year for developing tourist police, and a further allocation would be made this year to purchase equipment for them.

"We need to make Sri Lanka a safer place for tourists," he said.

The minister also said the tourist police had a duty to ensure Sri Lanka's image in the international arena as a safe place.

There were nearly 500,000 international tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka up to February this year.