Tourism industry takes to the streets next week over high-handed bureaucracy
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is taking to the streets next week vehemently opposing the iron wall of bureaucracy that the “all-powerful” Sri Lankan Immigration Controller Harsha Ilukpitiya was holding out, going against directives from the executive and the judiciary.
Right now a tourist is forced to spend around two and a half hours on arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) as there is no online platform for a person to obtain a visa to enter the country, causing chaos and congestion and creating a bad reputation on the image of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) President Nishad Wijetunga said at a media briefing held on Friday at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. Representatives of other industry associations were also present at the meeting.
Mr. Nishad Wijetunga, stressing a point, and alongside veteran industry officials, at the media briefing. Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara.
There has been a drop in forecasted arrivals so far that the Sri Lanka Tourism Authority (SLTDA) has recorded to be at 42,000.
The impact of this issue that is creating havoc in an industry that was awaiting a good winter clearly highlighted the fact that Sri Lanka is losing its tourists and will not be able to meet its targets.
As a result next week the industry will have to get onto the streets and appeal since ‘we’ can’t get the entire winter season blocked by one person, Jetwing Chairman and veteran hotelier Hiran Cooray said, adding: “This is sabotage.”
“We were stuck in 2019, then COVID-19 and followed by an economic crisis and now when we were poised with a good winter the numbers are dropping and announcements were made that free visas will be issued to 38 countries but ‘nothing is happening’,” Mr. Wijetunga said.
The visa crisis was brought on with the implementation of the VFS Global system being given the rights to issue visas on their online platforms that the tourism industry said was creating confusion among tourists and tour operators.
With no assistance from authorities to ease the confusion, the industry took the matter to the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court where an interim order was issued to the Immigration Controller to temporarily suspend the new VFS Global system and revert to the previous system.
However, citing technical and other logistical issues Mr. Ilukpitiya is yet to implement the previous online visa system implemented by Mobitel.
As a result of this the only way a transit or business person can obtain entry to the island is through a visa on arrival. Those nationals not permitted to obtain visa on arrival are unable to enter the country; Pakistani nationals have also being deterred from arriving as they are not issued boarding passes as well. Mr. Ilukpitiya was not available for comment.
The entire industry was up in arms against Mr. Ilukpitiya who is believed to be acting with more powers than he is vested with hiding under the cover of bureaucratic procedures.
Mr. Cooray said, “We were wondering who the most powerful person is in this country. Right now it’s the Immigration Controller since he doesn’t seem to be following directives by the executive or the judiciary.”
Apart from the Supreme Court, the Cabinet of Ministers had granted approval to implement the issuance of free visas for 38 countries with effect from October 1 however, on Monday this was made with immediate effect. Mr. Ilukpitiya has reportedly stated that this can only be carried out once Parliament reconvenes citing that the gazette made out in this context requires Parliamentary approval.
Mr. Wijetunga pointed out that a number of countries from where the traffic is high like France, the UK and Australia have raised concerns. But the industry is concerned that if this is picked up by the travel advisories of these respective countries it could significantly impact on arrivals.
Mr. Cooray noted that they were currently using all channels possible to make the relevant authorities aware of the crisis at the moment including the First Lady. The scramble by the industry to get things back on track is to ensure that they could avoid losses being incurred and the ripple effect of its social impact that would mean no jobs during the peak season and a drop in earnings for the staff as well.
Meanwhile, Tourism Ministry Secretary in a letter to the Secretary to the President has stated that the previous online visa system had created the right environment for travellers to visit the country as the visa issuance carried prior to April 17, 2024 could be implemented according to the previous rates and charges; allowing embassies to issue visas; and ensuring that the visa on arrival is granted hassle-free.
But as a result of the current system, there is chaos at the airport and inconvenience to tourists today. As a result most travellers are not keen on visiting the country again.
SLAITO Vice President Nalin Jayasundere noted that in this respect, the current efforts of the authorities to implement the promotional campaign to attract increased tourists to the country will be in vain.
In the meantime, the tourism industry is planning on raising these concerns with the Supreme Court that the previous online visa system, as directed by the court, is not being implemented.
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