News
Locals fear effects would spill over to next season
View(s):- Priyanath Chandrapala in Arugam Bay and Panama
The security remains tight in Arugam Bay with regular checks on vehicles and those passing by the area, while the few remaining tourists have moved out since they were alerted about the travel advisories.
The villages here first came to know about the possible security threats after they saw additional checkpoints manned mainly by the Police and the Special Task Force. In addition, the Army and the Navy too were deployed.
M.H. Thahim
While the fishermen were earlier told not to go to sea, yesterday they were informed that they could resume their livelihood.
But local residents fear that the tensions will prevail for longer periods and eventually hurt the tourism industry, which is the main livelihood of the villagers, prevail.
Locals fear that Sri Lankan tourists too will start avoiding the area.
“Since Wednesday we have hardly had any three-wheeler hires as people are not moving around,” the President of the three-wheeler association in the area M. Anzar said.
He said though it was the off-season, there were a few hundred tourists from various countries in the area, but when the warnings came, all of them left.
He said that even the hoteliers from the outstations have closed their places and left.
Mr. Anzar said that they were hoping that the government would manage the situation, and things would return to normal soon.
The Arugam Bay Hoteliers Association President M.H. Thahim told the Sunday Times that they were worried that the effects would spill over to the next season which starts off in March.
“We are worried that cancellations will start taking place from now onwards”, he said.
M. Anzar
He said however the assurances given by the government and the security deployed were comforting.
However, President of the Chamber of Tourism, A.M. Jaufer, based in the Arugam Bay area, said he was confident that the industry would not be affected, and appealed to foreign missions to consider removing the travel advisories.
He said they should take into consideration the adequate security measures taken by the government.
Meanwhile security has been tight in other tourist destinations including Ella.
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