Sri Lanka’s hoteliers association says tourists visiting the country despite political crisis
The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka has reportedly stated that country’s hotels are getting tourists despite a political crisis and travel advisories being issued by authorities of several key markets.
“We have not had any major cancellations in hotels,” The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka President Sanath Ukwatte has been quoted as saying in the media.
“We have had inquiries from travel agencies whether everything is safe in Colombo, and we have briefed them that it’s absolutely safe for travel, and transport is working as normal.”
Officials of several hotels who did not wish to be named said there were a few cancellations, even from India, which is Sri Lanka’s largest market.
“We are monitoring forward bookings and have seen a slow-down for the coming week as some business travellers have re-scheduled their plans,” Shangri-La Colombo Vice President/General Manager Timothy Wright has said.
“A few events have also been postponed.”
“We are currently hosting a couple of large international conferences and the events and delegates have been unaffected by the local political situation. They have continued as scheduled as they are reassured by our safety and security measures,” he has added.
“We have had a huge boost for tourism with Lonely Planet naming us as the world’s best destination,” Ukwatte has said.
OSL take:
The story above is indicative of Sri Lanka’s steady positioning as a tourist destination. The country’s tourism industry is on a growth path and indications are that despite a sudden change in the administration, the tourism sector would remain buoyant. Therefore, foreign businesses/investors could continue to explore investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism sector.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20181107/Z_1 |