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Tourism makes another overseas pitch amid shortages
View(s):By Wasantha Ramanayake
Sri Lanka will pitch its hospitality and attractions in London, India, and Berlin, but the sector is trying to come to grips with a suspension of imports by the Government.
Sri Lanka’s tourism promotion authority along with travel industry figures will participate in the London Travel Market (WTM London) in November. The WTM, from November 7 to 9, is said to be the ‘leading global event for the travel industry’.
Chalaka Gjabahu, chairman of the industry promotion arm of Sri Lanka Tourism, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, said the bureau was planning three road shows in India, a top tourist market.
Unawatuna: Usually a tourist hotspot, now only a handful enjoying the sun and the sand. Pix by Indika Handuwala
Mr. Gajabahu said top tourist generating countries have lifted travel advisories. The Netherlands was the latest to do so on Wednesday, preceded by Denmark and Sweden on Tuesday.
SLTPB and industry stakeholders also plan to join the ITB Berlin, another global travel fair in March next year, he added.
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), chairman Mr Priantha Fernando said regular flights would resume by the start of the winter season in Europe. He said aviation fuel supply had been streamlined, making it possible to resume cancelled flights.
Supplies had been stopped after the closure of Sapugaskanda refinery.
He said the civil aviation authority is having discussions with Russian national career Aeroflot to resume flights. “We are expecting a large number of Russian tourists with the resumption of Aeroflot flights,” he said.
Mr. Fernando also said that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) would soon designate 10 filling stations for tourist vehicles. “Already, SLTB depots and army camps provide fuel to tourist vehicles,” he noted. 
He also noted that the SLTDA had asked the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) for information on the suspension of imports on August 23. Some items are essential for hoteliers.
“But we cannot give blanket approval to importers given the foreign currency shortage.” He maintained that while encouraging local substitutes, the SLTDA and the Tourism Ministry would negotiate with the Government to import items which could not be locally manufactured, or sourced. “We have put these items under six categories such as food, beverages etc., and negotiate with the Government.’’
THASL president M. Shanthikumar, while welcoming the Tourism Ministry and SLTPB decision to participate at WTM in London, said hotels are receiving more bookings as travel advisories have been lifted against non-essential travel to Sri Lanka.
He said THASL would also make representations to the Government to ease import restrictions.
“Things such as wines and spirits and toilet paper which are not locally produced definitely should be imported,” he said.
Hotel Suppliers Association (HSA), president Azad Mansoor however, alleged that neither the ministry nor the SLTDA had voiced concerns about items such as toilet paper, kitchen equipment, ovens, deep freezers, cutlery and crockery, bed linen, and towels glassware. 
“We can’t ask tourists to bring their toilet paper, can we?” asked Mr. Manzoor.
“While we promote the country asking tourists to experience its beauty and the hospitality of its people, can we let them stay in substandard accommodations and enjoy food which is not up to stipulated standards? We would lose the markets and tourists would go to Thailand, or Vietnam.”
Suspending imports citing foreign exchange scarcity will not save the economy, he argued. “You are killing the hen to save the golden egg.’’
A resident manager of a star-class hotel on the southern coast, who wished to remain anonymous, said occupancy rates are low, but is hopeful more tourists will arrive, following the easing of travel restrictions by the UK, Switzerland, France, Australia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
But he is concerned as “too many things’’ are in short supply.
“We do not have new bed linen and new towels. Some of the kitchen equipment needs to be upgraded, and some are to be repaired. But, we could not do so as they are neither available in the market nor could they be imported.”
Only a few tourists would choose to drink Arrack or beer because they drink whisky, vodka, gin, or wine.
“The majority would of course like to try them, but would not want them during the whole of their stay,’’ he said. He stressed that the gastronomical experience is a part and parcel of the whole tourist experience.
The UK’s Telegraph, recently, reported that as energy prices are soaring, people who work from home were looking for alternative destinations. It was predicted that average gas and electricity bills of £120 would be over £500.
Global air travel is forecast to reach 65% of pre-pandemic levels in 2019 in the third quarter of 2022, according to the Summer World Travel Outlook report.
Tourism in Europe recorded the biggest recovery with the highest tourist arrivals, followed by Africa and Middle East, while Asia and the Pacific is lagging, with the lowest summer tourist arrival levels expected to reach only 35% of the 2019 levels.
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