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Don’t travel to Tamil Nadu: Defence Ministry
View(s):By Sunimalee Dias
Defence Ministry officials are advising Sri Lankans against travelling to Tamil Nadu in the wake of recent attacks on Sri Lankans and Sri Lankan institutions there.
Travel from Colombo to Chennai has also dropped by at least 30 per cent in recent weeks, travel trade sources said. A two-hour meeting was held recently between ministry, airline and travel trade officials in Colombo. It is learnt that Indian visas issued in Colombo have seen a 10 per cent drop in the recent past.
Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka President Saman Premakumara said Defence Ministry officials had advised them to avoid Tamil Nadu as much as possible.
Though this was not issued as a directive but only as an advice to the local industry in relation to Sri Lankans’ safety, the travel agents had been told to avoid all land travel in Tamil Nadu and permission was granted only for transit at the Chennai airport, he said.
However, Mr. Premakumara said that in view of the concerns raised they had decided to avoid even transiting in Chennai.
Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Travel Operators President Mahen Kariyawasam said the defence officials asked them to avoid the Chennai airport, even for those going on pilgrimages. They were advised to travel directly to Bodh Gaya or via New Delhi.
He said these travel plans would be reviewed after a month. SriLankan Airlines Chief Marketing Officer G.T. Jayaseelan said there had been a 20 per cent drop in air travel to Chennai. As a result, they had reduced flights by about 50 per cent. Spicejet Colombo General Manager J.D. Weimen said they had seen a drop of around 25-30 per cent over the last three to four weeks due to the recent media reports on the unrest in Chennai against Sri Lankans.
Air Indian Express Manager Tony Fernando said their load factor had dropped from 85 per cent to 50 per cent but they too were continuing to operate the same number of flights to Chennai. Air India Express was bound to lose revenue, he said down from the monthly Rs. 50 million earnings to even less than Rs. 30 million this month.
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