Travel agencies face further shutdowns
View(s):At least half of Sri Lanka’s registered smaller travel agencies have shutdown operations in the aftermath of the outbreak of the coronavirus that has sent tourists packing and locked out visitors.
In 2018 there were over 2000 smaller registered travel agencies operating in the country but this year this has reduced to less than 1000, Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) President Tilak Weerasinghe told the Business Times.
He noted that the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises of Tourism (ASMET), during a meeting, had indicated their issues and pointed out that with the reduction in travel agencies at this alarming rate there is a likelihood that this number could dwindle to about 500.
A lot of the small timers are shutting down their operations and many are operating from home since they are fighting it hard to sustain themselves, he explained.
Mr. Weerasinghe noted that though registration payments had been provided concessions this year in the face of the COVID-19 the industry was still impacted due to a lack of tourists entering the country.
He pointed out that in this respect they hope to find some financial solution for these sectors with proposals being worked out to obtain either a credit line or personal guarantees from the banks to sustain themselves.
The industry believes it is necessary to sustain these smaller agencies so that once the country opens up to tourism they will be able to cater to the demand as in previous years.
SLAITO is hoping to meet the industry in the provinces and in this respect they will be initially visiting those in the cultural triangle of Anuradhapura, Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa.
(SD)