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60<br />
the review: news focus<br />
Sri Lanka<br />
It has been a tough four months for those working in the Sri Lankan tourism industry,<br />
but signs of better days ahead are already discernible, says Steve Hartridge<br />
The road to recovery<br />
Sri Lanka’s rising popularity was brought to<br />
an abrupt halt on April 21 by the bombings<br />
that killed more than 250 people in churches<br />
and luxury hotels. Foreign visitor numbers<br />
immediately fell off a cliff: down almost 71%<br />
in May and 64% in June.<br />
This sparked a flurry of activity and<br />
initiatives designed to get the word out that<br />
the destination is as safe as any country can<br />
be in these uncertain times.<br />
Many of Sri Lanka’s hoteliers, like<br />
Resplendent Ceylon, Uga Escapes and<br />
Taj Hotels, united with other travel<br />
industry interests to create the Sri Lanka<br />
Tourism Alliance, with online platform –<br />
lovesrilanka.org – acting as a portal of<br />
travel information for both the trade and<br />
consumers.<br />
The country has also embarked on a<br />
programme of personally-tailored individual<br />
press visits to Sri Lanka to generate a spate<br />
of positive publicity. And to lure tourists<br />
back, the Sri Lanka Tourism Ministry<br />
introduced free tourism visas on arrival to<br />
40 countries, including the UK.<br />
On the ground in Sri Lanka, security<br />
measures have been stepped up, most<br />
noticeably at the international airport in<br />
Colombo, popular tourist sites and temples.<br />
Overwhelming support<br />
But the country faces a steady rather than<br />
rapid climb back to its previously-healthy<br />
visitor numbers. <strong>Travel</strong>pack says its Sri Lanka<br />
business was ‘severely impacted’ but director<br />
Vishal Patel believes the company ‘owes it to<br />
Sri Lanka to continue its investment there’.<br />
“We have seen Sri Lanka go though worse<br />
situations, like the tsunami and a civil war,<br />
and it always bounces back stronger.”<br />
He added: “Enquiries and sales have picked<br />
up, but not at the rate we hoped for. We will<br />
be arranging fam trips and pushing Sri Lanka<br />
in the coming months.”<br />
Kuoni hopes to boost its Sri Lanka bookings<br />
through its current campaign with TV<br />
presenter, Anita Rani (pictured above, bottom<br />
right), who visited the country for a film now<br />
HANSON IMAGES<br />
featuring on the operator’s YouTube channel.<br />
Rani is featured sampling egg hoppers,<br />
watching baby elephants in Minneriya<br />
National Park, climbing Sigariya Rock, walking<br />
through jungle to the temples at Dambulla<br />
and wildlife spotting off the south coast.<br />
The early signs of a recovery are already<br />
discernible, says Jean-Marc Flambert,<br />
former Director UK, Sri Lanka Tourism. ”The<br />
comeback has started and will continue to<br />
grow. Many tour operators have campaigns<br />
to give Sri Lanka a push, the industry in Sri<br />
Lanka has pulled out all stops and the airlines<br />
are committed to airlift for winter 20<strong>19</strong>/2020.“<br />
Hiran Cooray, Chairman of Jetwing<br />
Symphony PLC, which operates several<br />
hotels and villas across the country, says it<br />
experienced a busy August, with occupancies<br />
in the mid-60% at most of its properties.<br />
“We have received overwhelming support<br />
from our travel partners and are confident<br />
this winter will be a busy one...we are going<br />
ahead with our planned completion of the<br />
26-suite Jetwing Kandy Gallery, which will<br />
open this December,” he said.<br />
Natasha Muttettuwegama, Sales Manager<br />
at The Haritha Collection, said she is<br />
“encouraged” that many travellers kept their<br />
bookings and visited during July and August.<br />
“We believe this is down to guests feeling Sri<br />
Lanka is safe and recognising it as an exciting<br />
and unique destination,” she said.<br />
There is plenty that is new to tempt return<br />
visitors back, added Flambert. “The Nine<br />
Mirissa, a luxury villa on the south coast<br />
aimed at couples and families, opened in<br />
April, while Flow by the Amber Collection<br />
offers luxury houseboat cruises on<br />
Bolgoda Lake, close to the capital Colombo.<br />
Meanwhile, a refurbished Cinnamon Bentota<br />
Beach will be unveiled in December.<br />
Half a million families in Sri Lanka depend on<br />
tourism and the industry is the country’s thirdlargest,<br />
generating $4.4 billion a year.<br />
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