Sri Lanka to welcome the Chinese puff
Sri Lanka is likely to give the Chinese their fair share of merchandise even if it is banned in Sri Lanka, to enjoy their holiday.
In this respect, Tourism Development Minister John Amaratunga said that the government would be considering offering a concession to Chinese travellers to bring their own Chinese tobacco to the country.
Chinese tobacco is currently a banned product but even tour operators and travel agents believe that considering the unique market of China and the large numbers that are found globetrotting it is important to understand their requirements and give in to their addiction.
Travel agents believe that Chinese travellers were found to be increasingly addicted to Chinese tobacco so it would not be a good thing if it was not made available here in Sri Lanka if the Chinese are to be encouraged to holiday here.
Even as Chinese prefer Chinese food it has also been found that most Indians also opt for Indian cuisine when dining in Sri Lanka. These two markets currently generate the highest traffic to the country.
Playing majong, gambling and smoking are key facets of the Chinese and as a result they prefer to do these when holidaying in addition to having their own Mandarin-speaking tour guide who would understand them better.
However, some other tour operators opine that Chinese travellers that they bring down have not requested for these and it clearly highlights the type of tourists the country is generating.
It was pointed out that Sri Lanka needs to do away with the numbers game and cash in on the high-spending Chinese traveller who like all other tourists opt to experience the destination they travel to.
“We can’t and we shouldn’t aspire to get the large numbers that go to Thailand,” one agent pointed out.