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Sri Lankans boost tourist arrivals for sector with little visibility
Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka picked up over the past few weeks, but the impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic which has shut down global travel is still affecting source markets and the recovery is slow, tourism sector sources said.
Sri Lanka recorded nearly 52,000 tourist arrivals as of January 19. The largest number was from Russia, ahead of India, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
Tourists in Galle and below, Negombo. Pic by Shirangika Lokukaravita
The Sri Lanka Tourist Development Authority (SLTDA) said this was a significant increase from the 1,682 arrivals in January 2021.
Hotels and eateries are beginning to pick up pace after nearly two dormant years due to the pandemic. Sri Lanka was also rated 32nd out of 50 in the UK-based Big 7 Travel website’s list of ‘World’s Most Instagrammable Places 2022’, ahead of cities including Kuala Lumpur, Phuket, Havana, and Seoul.
Singapore ranked first ahead of Boracay in Philippines, and Oahu in Hawaii, that made up the top three. (Whole list: https://bigseventravel.com/most-instagrammable-places-world/)
Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) president M. Shanthikumar said that bookings for December 2021 and the first three weeks of 2022 had increased.
A spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) said, although there is an increase, it is mainly from Eastern Europe.
Tourists arriving at the BIA. Pic by T.K.G.Kapila
He emphasised that it is mostly Sri Lankans who accounted for arrivals from Canada and the United States, which also recorded significant numbers.
“A good 50% of tourists from the UK, France and Germany are from the [Sri Lankan] diaspora.”
There are tight border restrictions in China, Japan and South Korea resulting in few tourists from those countries.
Tourists from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan tend to explore just the beaches and have a general interest in surfing.
The tour operators spokesperson said that although bookings are increasing, the Omicron variant has had a significant impact on the European market and reservations for summer have slowed down. 
Nuwan Mahawattage, general secretary of the Sri Lanka Institute of National Tourist Guide Lecturers, told the Sunday Times, that bookings for guides are gradually picking up.
Guides now depend on arrivals from Eastern Europe as well as France.
“Arrivals from other parts of the world are low.’’
Mr Mahawattage said many guides are out of work.
“In Sri Lanka, people seem to be comfortable with Covid-19, but those from the USA, UK and Australia are reluctant to travel,” he said. Omicron makes holidaymakers think twice before travelling to long-haul destinations. Partial refunds provided in case of a cancellation also add to the lingering uncertainty, he said.
Similar sentiments have been shared by industry stakeholders about the adverse impact of Omicron.
Mr Shanthikumar said the new coronavirus variant has especially affected arrivals from India.
Complying with health safety guidelines remains a priority with hotels and other relevant stakeholders.
Mr Mahawattage told the Sunday Times that a training session was done by the SLTDA about tours during the pandemic. There were workshops on ‘bio-bubbles’, and protocol updates. A certificate was awarded to tour guide lecturers and travel agents after a written exam. This certificate is mandatory to continue working.
THASL said that all staff are required to be vaccinated with the booster dose unless individuals have been medically advised not to.
Mr Shanthikumar said all necessary measures for staff and guest safety have been taken by hotels. “A few rooms will always be free in case guests test positive,” he said. 
SLAITO, too, is adhering to health guidelines. In addition, PCR and/or antigen tests are taken by staff before and after meeting clients.
Mr Mahawattage said of the prospects: “It will take about one and a half to two years to go back to the way it was before the pandemic. Until the source market conditions improve, we cannot increase the number of tourist arrivals.”
SLTDA Director General, Dhammika Wijesinghe, told the Sunday Times that regulations are updated on the advice of health authorities. Existing guidelines such as wearing a face mask, social distancing, and sanitising are mandatory.
She added that health officials and the police will ensure that tourists follow safety measures and violators will be warned. In some places such as beaches, face masks are not mandatory.
On January 20, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka made it necessary for all licensed tourist establishments to accept only foreign exchange for services provided to tourists. This decision is the latest among various attempts to replenish the meagre foreign exchange reserves in the country.
Mr Shanthikumar, said hoteliers welcomed the decision.
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