Sri Lanka’s tourism authorities in the Indian Ocean have called on travelers from around the world to spend a holiday on their paradise island to save it from the current crisis. Most of the appeals were addressed to European tourists. Arriving tourists – one of the main ways for Sri Lanka to obtain foreign currency, so now needed by this beach country.
According to the Sunday Times, representatives of the tourism sector met last week with newly appointed Tourism Minister Harin Fernando and ambassadors of key European markets to consider easing or repealing travel recommendations issued by their government against trips to Sri Lanka. While Germany said it had already relaxed travel recommendations by Monday, other countries had made inquiries about the lack of essentials and the need for political stability.
Jetwing Symphony Hotels Chairman Hiran Koorai told the Business Times that they also need to continue the progress made in the global advertising campaign, as well as in other short-term campaigns through study tours for international journalists, bloggers, and travel agents to gain immediate experience.
Commenting on the lack of imported food, Koorai said that Sri Lanka should offer tourists something unique to this country, and not feed guests what they have already tasted at home. “About six or seven years ago, we stopped serving imported fruit, and even with cooked food, we tried to serve what is in Sri Lanka,” he said, adding that the sector should “think differently.”
At the same time, other representatives of tourism said that “by attracting tourists, they will help the country”, although some feel guilty when they come to see the suffering of people right before their eyes. “They help people in the queues,” one official was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, as Sri Lankans are also facing a crisis due to fuel shortages, most are reluctant to travel for leisure, which is also having a ripple effect on labor shortages. “Locals are also not traveling because of the fuel crisis, and airlines are suffering and it is difficult for us to pay salaries,” the Mt chairman complained. Lavinia Hotel Sanat Uquate. He also noted that they do not wait for winter at the end of summer, as travel recommendations have negatively affected the mood of tourists.
Sri Lanka is currently facing more than 80 percent cancellations for the summer due to political unrest in the country and due to the declaration of a state of emergency by the president of the Association of Tourist Hotels Shantikumar. Earlier, he noted that the business, which cheered in the first few months, fell by about 90% in March. In addition, the country still has a moratorium imposed at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. According to the newspaper, business on the resort island is currently operating under conditions of restrictions and crisis, and if the moratorium is not lifted by June 30, most companies will close and employees will be fired.