Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

Tourist trade in the doldrums

President, National Tour Guides Lecturers? Association, Joe Livera warns that if urgent steps are not taken by the government to win back the confidence of the international community, Sri Lanka?s tourism industry would never revive. Currently considered on par with other warring nations, Livera says that the government should hold urgent discussions with the diplomatic community in clearing the country?s image. 'The main problem we are facing right now is that the ambassadors in this country have not been briefed on the actual situation. It is the responsibility of the government to do so. This is the worst the country?s tourism industry has suffered in the past 27 years,' Livera said in an interview with The Morning Leader.

Following are excerpts:

By Jamila Najmuddin

Q: What do you see as the reasons for the country?s tourism industry to be pushed into this crisis situation?

A: Some say it is the deteriorating security situation in the country and the closure of the A9 because of the violence as a result of it. Many others say that the recent attacks in Colombo and Galle have had a severe impact on the country?s image due to which tourists are frightened to visit the country.

However, the main reason for the country?s tourism industry to suffer to such an extent is the tourist ban imposed on Sri Lanka by the European governments. The ambassadors of the European countries have notified their respective countries that Sri Lanka is unsafe for their citizens to visit. We cannot blame them for doing so especially after the massacre of 17 NGO workers in Muttur. This incident had dealt a severe blow on the country?s tourist arrivals as it is after this, that we saw a huge decline. It is also sad that no thorough investigations have been conducted on this incident despite international pressure to do so.

The countries which have currently issued a travel ban on Sri Lanka are France, Germany, Italy and UK. These were our four most important countries. Germany was our second biggest market for tourist arrivals.

Q: How can we win back the confidence of the international community?

A: The main problem we are facing right now is that the ambassadors in this country have not been briefed on the actual situation. It is the responsibility of the government to hold discussions with them and convince them that despite an ongoing conflict, the country is safe for the leisure trade.

Sri Lanka has suffered a 20 year war and during this period, tourists continued to arrive as the ambassadors and diplomats were thoroughly briefed by our government. This is the only way we can win the confidence of the international community.

Even during the Katunayake Airport and the Central Bank bomb blasts, our tourism industry bounced back immediately. The then chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board (SLTB) held overnight discussions with the diplomats and the ambassadors and attractive packages were offered to the tourists. Immediate measures were taken. However the present chairman of the SLTB has not taken any measures to win back the confidence of the tourists because there is nothing he can do with an unofficial travel ban imposed on Sri Lanka.

The SLTB also says that millions have been spent to advertise Sri Lanka especially in the European countries. But such advertising is not going to be of any benefit to the country.

Tourists arriving in the country are not going to visit Jaffna or Kilinochchi. They never have and never will. To date, no tourist has also been harmed or attacked unlike some other countries where many tourists have lost their lives.

But because of the government?s negligence in not keeping the ambassadors informed, the entire tourism industry is in crisis. Today, it is not only the hotels and guides who are suffering but their families are being affected too. There are thousands of people who depend on the tourism industry to earn their daily bread. Some of the guides have not had work for over three months.

Q: Do you consider this the worst period the country?s tourism industry has suffered?

A: This is the worst blow the country?s tourism sector has suffered in the past 27 years. Even though we have had many bomb blasts in the past, immediate steps were taken to win back the confidence of the international community. Even in December 2004, when the country suffered from the tsunami the country?s tourism industry revived within months.

Sri Lanka received a lot of criticism from the international media soon after the tsunami but did this not affect our tourist arrivals. We were also named as a beggar country as we began to beg for aid from other countries although other affected countries such as Thailand did not do any such thing.

Q: How many tour guides have been affected by this current crisis?

A: I do not know the exact number, but all I can say is that not even 20 tour guides are working at the moment as we do not have any tourists. There are less than five tour buses operating in Sri Lanka and many are out of business.

The guides working under us have not had a tour for the past three months. There are many guides who have come running to us for help but we cannot perform miracles if the government is not taking prompt action. A lot of people are suffering.

Q: What is the percentage drop in tourist arrivals this year, compared to last year?

A: Currently there is a drop of at least 80%, compared to last year. The only tourists arriving in the country are from India. We cannot take the Indian arrivals into consideration as they are very poor spenders, therefore the industry does not earn much.

Q: But the SLTB has continued to maintain a rosy picture saying that tourist arrivals were high?

A: The SLTB is saying the figures are only increasing because they count the transit passengers who arrive at the Katunayake International Airport as tourists. These passengers are on a few hours transit going to destinations such as Male. Even the athletes who arrived here for the South Asian Games were counted as tourists. How can they do this as this is only creating a wrong image?

The government is doing so because they want to ?achieve? its target of one million tourists by the year 2010. I do not think the government can ever achieve this target. Other than from the Indian market we are not going to get any other tourists.

Till last year we had 65% tourist arrivals from the European countries and 35% tourist arrivals from the South Asian countries. This year this mix has been reversed as we now see more tourists from the Indian market and no tourists from the European countries.

For the Indians it is much cheaper for them to travel to Sri Lanka than traveling to another state within their own country. But even the Indians arrive only for two or three days and spend nothing at all. What the sector needs is high class tourists from top European destinations.

Q: Are you satisfied with the role played by the SLTB during this crisis period?

A: No, how can I be satisfied? When Minister Thondaman was the tourism minister, the licences of tour guides were given to be renewed once in years. Then in 1992, this changed back to one year. After Minister Lokuge came into power it reverted back to three years. However this year the Chairman, SLTB, has taken a decision to revert it back to one year, without informing us.

They have also increased the fee for renewing our licenses. The normal fee charged was Rs.500 for each year, therefore at the end of three years we paid a sum of Rs.1500. Now, the SLTB is charging Rs.1500 only for one year along with a police report. This has become a money making business for the SLTB.

Q: Currently, what is the average spend of a tourist?

A: Currently the average spent by each tourist is only $40 to $50 whereas it should be at least $100. The tourists who are currently arriving in the country do not spend much as the travel agents are getting them at a very low budget. Due to desperation, travel agents have no option but offer very cheap packages to the tourists. Till last year tourists spent more than $100 per day. This is because we have lost all our up market clients. Even the hotels have started offering cheap rates despite December being our peak season.

Do you know Tigers are winning the war!!

Peacebroker Norway tried to arrange a sharing of the huge foreign aid for reconstruction between the government and the Tigers, but the Supreme Court shot down the idea last year, saying it violated the constitution.

Nirupam;
ok, here we go...

you quoted from article titled 'LTTE hands over Jordanian ship's crew to Red Cross' (http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7598_1879751,000500020002.htm) published at December 25, 2006 14:01 IST

i quoted the article titled 'Crew confirm charge of piracy against LTTE' (http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7598_1880583,000500020002.htm) published at December 26, 19:46 IST

and, both are from PK Balachandran.

looks like Mr PK Balachandran, just like the rest of us, LEARNT A LOT OF FACTS about the incident in a period of just over one day! :-))
after all, if he continued to lie, his credibility as a journalist/career will be at stake - ain't it? ;-)