Over 30% drop in WA arrivals, 100s of cancellations
Sri Lankan hoteliers busy at the ITB Berlin travel fair last week are now facing a new challenge of overcoming the impact of the week-long Kandy crisis that led to over 5000 room nights cancelled and of over 30 per cent of the West Asia traffic.
Tourist Hotels Association President Sanath Ukwatte told the Business Times that at a THASL meeting held on Friday according to reports from about 50 hotels in Kandy there were cancellations of over 5000 room nights during the course of the last week when tensions ran high in the hill capital during communal clashes.
He pointed out that it was possible that there could be an over 30 per cent drop in arrivals particularly from the West Asia. This is the peak season for this market and it was noted that currently there was a slowdown in bookings from travellers from the desert capitals.
THASL members pointed out that the industry needs the marketing campaigns to get underway and believed the digital marketing campaign should be launched “within a logical time frame.”
The first week of May has been scheduled for the implementation of the digital campaign and subsequently the international media campaign on not only CNN but also CCTV, NDTV and Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, other hoteliers told the Business Times that though Kandy continues to remain safe now travel agents were trying to create an issue by leaning in on the crisis to get the rates dropped in hotels in the hill capital.
Kandy hoteliers were scheduled to meet on Saturday March 17 on how they could overcome the negative impact created on the region.