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Tourism stakeholders hopeful of a brighter 2023
View(s):- But voice concern over continuing protests
By Wasantha Ramanayake
A slow but gradual increase in tourists from European countries can be expected next year, industry stakeholders said, adding that major foreign tour operators were, however, concerned about the political situation and continuing protests in the country.
Around 1.5 million tourists who will include more high spenders were expected to bring in five billion US dollars to boost the country’s economy, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) said, revealing its expected targets for next year.
Chilling in Ella: The Power and Energy Ministry has assured uninterrupted power supply to tourist hotspots in the country. Pic by Palitha Ariyawansa
Tourism Minister Harin Fernando addressing a news conference on Thursday said Sri Lanka should find new markets in the east and far east Asia as well as in eastern Europe to achieve this target. He welcomed the assurance given by the Power and Energy Ministry that there would be uninterrupted power supply to touristic areas in the Southern Province and Ella.
Major foreign tour operators and agents who participated at last month’s World Travel Market (WTM) in London were keen to send more tourists here despite the high inflation but they were concerned about the political instability and continuing protests, a tourist hotel manager who participated at the WTM said.
“We can expect more tourists in the new year, but we have to keep our fingers crossed,” he said, adding that nobody could guarantee whether protests would end.
Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) President M. Shanthikumar who was a part of the Sri Lanka delegation to WTM said not many tourists are expected in the upcoming winter season but more tourists were expected for the Summer of 2023. Mr. Shanthikumar also underscored the importance of political stability sans protests for the industry to thrive. 
“Tourists have already booked their holidays for the winter,” he explained pointing out that the travel advisories of many European countries against travelling to Sri Lanka were removed only in September.
Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Chairman Chalaka Gajabahu said the last minute decision to participate at the WTM was productive or else the country would have lost its position as a highly sought-after destination to its competitors in the region.
The country got crucial international media coverage to drive the message that Sri Lanka was safer to visit and ready to welcome its visitors, he said.
“We had back to back meetings, it was an all-out effort to revive the UK market, one of our main markets,” Head of Sales for Anantara cluster of coastal resorts Champika de Silva, said. Although agents are eager to send tourists to Sri Lanka, tourists are not aware that the country is safe to travel, she commented. “People are still worried whether there will be food, fuel to travel around in the country.”
The current high inflation and economic downturn in the UK could affect the flow of tourists from the UK, a source for Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts management company said.
“The WTM was a good platform, especially for Sri Lanka in the post-pandemic period to position the island as a sought-after outbound travel destination,” the source said.
According to Chandima Wanasinghe, a small scale inbound tour operator, his company has had reservations from Swiss tourists visiting the country in December. “After mid-January next year, there are more Danish tourists coming, which is good,” he said.
The cost-of-living crisis in the country is by far the single most issue that is likely to impact 2023 holiday plans globally a recent WTM Industry Report has revealed
According to the report when asked what was most likely to have the biggest impact on their 2023 holiday plans, two-thirds of adults (66%) said the rising cost of living prices was likely to have a serious impact, with one in four (27%) saying the price of fuel was a major concern.
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