News
Locals pick up the slack, while Russians live on the cheap
View(s):By Sohan Vipulananda
There have been signs of life in the tourism industry since last month, while hoteliers in the south say Russians are not spenders and instead rent homes.
Local tourists have also started to travel during long weekends. They have been enjoying the festive season once again, now that a relative calm prevails.
“There is a slight improvement in the industry,” said M. Shanthikumar, the chairman of the Colombo City Hoteliers Association. Occupancy in the hotels in Colombo is less than 30%.
A private-public partnership to decorate Kandy city hopes to make Kandy also a happening city for foreign and local tourists.
Sales have improved at food and beverage outlets because of spending by locals.
“We hope for more improvement in the coming months,” Mr Shanthikumar said.
Southern Sri Lanka attracts more visitors compared with other areas.
Siri Goonewardana, chairman of the Hikkaduwa Hoteliers Association, said that most hotels are doing well.
“We are expecting more tourists from different countries except for Russia,” Mr Goonewardana said. Russians are not spenders, he said.
Christmas celebrations are on a low key, because some hotels are unable to get enough fuel for generators. 
Mr. Goonewardana also said local tourists occupy 20% to 30% of the rooms during long weekends.
Reports says Russians rent big houses and then sublease rooms to earn money.
Senaka De Silva, the president of the Down South Hoteliers Association also complained that Russian tourists spend their 90 days renting houses, which is negatively impacting the hotels. “The local tourist arrivals have picked up and we expect more next year.’’
Hotels in Negombo solely depend on local tourists. “Russians who came to Sri Lanka did not visit here,” Haritha Jayawardana, chairman of Negombo Hoteliers Association, said. He expects more Russians and visitors from other countries.
Hoteliers in Kandy are trying to attract visitors.
“Things are quite low key in Kandy when compared with the south,” Rodney Armstrong, president of the Kandy Hoteliers Association, told the Sunday Times.
He is planning with other members to launch a private-public partnership to decorate Kandy city. “We are doing this to make the city beautiful and to make Kandy also a happening city for foreign and local tourists.’’
There are plans to light up the riverside and the Katugastota Bridge.
Prabath Hewagama, chief sales and marketing officer of the Fabulous Getaway, a destination management company, said the revival of tourism is low, but positive. “Income is not to the standard it used to be, where a foreigner can spend around Rs. 200,000. A local tourist can spend a maximum of Rs. 30,000 per night.’’
Organising and hosting international events would also help to attract tourists.
Sri Lanka was fortunate to host several international events in the past such as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2013 and 15th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in 2010.
Imran Hassen, chairman of Sri Lanka Association of Professional Conference Exhibition & Event Organisers, said that international events are not yet in full swing. “With the current inflation in the country, it will take time to take off.’’ 
Reports suggest local events are taking place every day and wedding halls have been fully booked over the past few months.
“The entertainment industry is picking up well, with so many Christmas parties by corporates and Rotract clubs,” said Sashvinth Ravinath, founder of Blaze Entertainment. People are willing to spend more during their festive seasons, he said.
The protest site near the Presidential Secretariat used by the aragalaya has been transformed into a festive zone.
“All the shopping malls have prepared for the festive season,” Rusiru Abeyasinghe, vice president of asset management of John Keells Properties, said. Occupancy has been healthy and mall revenue has been satisfactory, he said.
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