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After a slump, tourism industry gearing to meet challenges as arrivals pick up
![IMG-20211119-WA0051](http://www.sundaytimes.lk/211121/uploads/IMG-20211119-WA0051.jpg)
Indian tourists arriving at the BIA. Pic by P.K.G Kapila
After months of financial distress that saw hundreds of people losing jobs or migrating, the tourism industry is now gearing to meet a sudden increase in demand, sources said.
For this year, upto November 18, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has recorded 83,397 arrivals, grossing US$ 134.34 million as at October 31.
In comparison with November 2020, there has been a “substantial increase” with over 19,000 tourists within the first two weeks of November this year, said Sanath Ukwatte, Mount Lavinia Hotel Chairman and President of The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL). Against pre-pandemic levels, however, it is still a minus.
Indian tourists led visitors last month, accounting for 37% arrivals out of 22,771, SLTDA said. This was followed by Britain, Russia, Pakistan and Germany as the top five international tourist-generating markets for the same month.
“We are starting training and recruitment of staff to meet the demand and to prepare hotels which have been shut down as we lost a lot of trained staff to other countries,” Mr Ukwatte said.
“Hotels have been shut for the past two-and-a-half years and they have had a fair share of ups and downs,” he continued. The industry was largely dependent on local tourists during the pandemic but inter-provincial travel restrictions put an end to that while hotel functions had limitted number due to COVID guidelines. Domestic tourists make up 20-22 percent of total revenue, he said, and are considered the “backbone”.
The foreign exchange crisis was a direct consequence of the sector’s inability to function. The resulting shortage of essentials and increasing prices is yet another hurdle facing the industry. “We are trying our best to ensure customers aren’t inconvenienced,” Mr Ukwatte said.
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