Tourism impact: Xpress Pearl pollutes shoreline
The hotel industry is unlikely to suffer crucial damages to its coastal belt as authorities have ensured that the beaches were cleaned up following the MV Xpress Pearl vessel catastrophe off the Colombo Harbour.
Jetwing Symphony Hotels Chairman Hiran Cooray told the Business Times that they have spoken to their managers in their Negombo hotels and their beaches were “cleaned well” within a day or two. Jetwing has hotels in Negombo whose beaches were also impacted by the debris of the Singapore-registered ship carrying tonnes of containers of chemicals.
Plastic pellets from the ill-fated Xpress Pearl ship. Pic by Akila Jayawardana
NKar Travels Managing Director Nilmin Nanayakkara pointed out that had this occurred at a time when the industry was in operation then it certainly would have had a huge impact.
However, he believes this is likely to die a natural death once it fades off from the news in a couple of months’ time.
With just a trickle in the number of tourists visiting the country as a result of several travel bans imposed on the country following the increased number of cases of COVID-19, he noted that they hope there will not be any damage to the environment.
Images of vastly polluted beaches along the coastal belt of Wattala and Negombo were received indicating the pollution caused as a result of the debris from the Xpress Pearl vessel washing ashore causing much damage to the beaches. The tourism industry is likely to suffer should the beaches be inundated with this debris since a majority of tourists visit the country to enjoy the vast stretch of the golden beaches.
In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, Mr. Cooray pointed out that the government should consider waiving the interest on their loans if they are “serious and want to continue with this industry”.
He noted that once the industry restarts they should be granted a waiver on their interest on the loans as the product should be properly maintained.
In this respect, he wanted authorities to consider waiving off the interest on their loans over the last 26 months.
“How are we going to pay interest on interest – with the restart – all we are expecting is an interest waiver for this period since April 2019,” he said.
He noted that the industry faced a worst blow during this third wave and right now some hotels may have closed while reopening a hotel costs money.
Despite this dark phase the industry expects a revival during the upcoming winter season with most tourists likely to arrive from India and China following the vaccination drives carried out in these countries and the further relaxation of their travel restrictions.