Editorial

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The tourist industry is in a collective convulsion, and industry captains are crying on each other's shoulders seeking some kind of solace. But, these people come out of industry meeting with today's politicians, more dejected than they were when the meetings began. To a large extent the industry's myopic vision also is to blame for the current predicament. Nobody in the trade did much to wean it away from the dependency on bulk charter tours which were holding the country to ransom, with or without the threat of bombs and mortars.

Nothing was done by the captains of the industry to court the high budget frequent tourist, also known in the industry lexicon as Frequent Independent Traveller alias FIT. Instead the hotels played the common game of undercutting each other so that their rooms were full, no matter that some of the tourists paid a pittance for the accommodation package. Equally the tycoon tour operators - both hoteliers and tour operators who are undercutting each other to get the existing business with cheap extras like free airport transfers, no handling fees etc. without looking for new business. Even our national airline – if you can call it "national" in today's context, opted to fill their seats with cheap charter tourists by stopping charter operators from bringing their own tourists. This option was definitely easier than taking that extra effort to bring in the more lucrative FIT high-budget traveller.

Now, almost stunned by the impact of the recent attacks, the trade is asking the government to negotiate with the LTTE, not fully understanding the extent of subterfuge and the intransigence that involves the LTTE when it comes to negotiations. That you can't clap with one hand.

Its about time they and the diplomatic community here stopped parroting this call and do something substantial to get the LTTE also to talk. They can see, as all of us can, that the state of Sri Lanka is imploding. The pathological hatred the President of the Republic has for anything or anyone even remotely connected with the opposition UNP continues unabated despite the calamity.

The UNP and the JVP are like birds of prey waiting to feed on the carrion of a decayed nation.

Whither from here then, Sri Lanka? There is no question of throwing in the towel, and giving up the effort to re-build this nation. There must be some aggressive new thinking. For instance, is it better to give the Tourist Board the 30 m US $ they are asking to have promotional fairs abroad or instead ought not the government consider paying say for the next three moths, for instance, the additional premiums that are being demanded by the insurance companies from international airlines? Should we be dealing not only with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) but also with IATA which actually involves the airlines. Pruning the tall grass outside the airport tarmac as the latest stratagem of the new-broom authority on airport security as was announced this week will surely not suffice.

The most satisfying moment in battle is not the victory itself, but the moment adversity was turned into advantage. As Churchill, that unfailing point of reference when it comes to matters of war and valour, said famously, that then "will be our finest hour.'' 

The Political Column

Editorial/ Opinion Contents