Sri Lanka’s Hotels Association says 2019 is looking very optimistic with expectations of a bumper year
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is reportedly expecting a bumper New Year with the country promotions set to get underway and the ones that took off this year set to create a hype despite a dreary start to the winter season.
Sri Lanka Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) President Sanath Ukwatte has been quoted as saying in the media that 2019 is looking very optimistic with a bumper year expected.
They expect to close 2018 with US$3.5 billion in revenue and 2.2 million in arrivals.
According to reports, though the close of the year saw a few cancellations it was essentially the tense situation in Kandy, earlier in the year, that caused concern among travellers especially from the West Asian market that were tipped to vacation in Sri Lanka.
However, the industry pulled through with the state authorities launching a CNN campaign in May for a three month period which also helped sustain the image of the tourism sector, a report in the Sunday Times stated.
The report noted that in addition another campaign launched together with a number of industry stakeholders titled “Island Escapes” was a sure win and that is also expected to provide better effect next year when the low season months roll in.
The report further stated that the digital campaign also kicked off, according to authorities in some of the key markets of UK, France, Germany, India and China and followed in November with the launch of the Sri Lanka branding “So Sri Lanka” at the World Travel Mart in London amid the political crisis in the country at the time.
The industry is once again of the belief that the cancellations during the November and December months due to the adverse travel advisories are to take a better turn when these would soften after successful intervention by the authorities with the respective diplomatic missions, the report stated.
The situation in the country is currently “slightly better,” Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators President Harith Perera has been quoted as saying noting that the whole political turmoil did not escalate which proved well.
In fact, he has added that some hotels have said there has been a pick up from corporate houses with incentive travel on the surge.
OSL take:
The statement by THASL is indicative of the continuous growth recorded by Sri Lanka’s tourism industry and its positive impact on the leisure and hospitality sectors as a result. The expectation of 2019 being a bumper year for tourism also notes the expansion of investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism sector and related fields. The constant development programmes in the leisure and hospitality sector are also encouraging for foreign businesses looking at investing in the country’s tourism sector.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20181227/Z_4 |