Sri Lanka’s tourism industry stakeholders welcome the reopening of Sri Lanka for international tourists
The Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) along with its One Industry One Voice partners have reportedly welcomed the reopening of Sri Lanka for international tourists.
“The much-awaited important guidelines being finalised and accepted is a great move to help our industry. We are confident that the new normal bio bubble tourism could be marketed via the foreign tour operators to revive the industry,” they have said in a statement by One Industry One Voice Coordinator and SLAITO Immediate Past President Mahen Kariyawasam.
The Daily FT has reported that it was pointed out that marketing and restarting tourism with this new concept would not be an easy task as unfortunately the country had no forward promotional plan from Sri Lanka Tourism as yet.
“Nevertheless with the new guidelines, although there can be a few teething issues, we are confident that our members and foreign tour operators will do their best to promote Sri Lanka and it is crucial that the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau supports them on the way forward as one industry and one voice in tourism,” the statement has added.
With the current surge of Covid 19 in major tourism generating markets, SLAITO and its partners do not see a big influx of tourists at the start but anticipate greater volume from summer onwards, especially with fast rollout of vaccination programs.
“We will work very closely with the Ministry of Health, the COVID Task Force and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority keeping in mind the health of the nation as a priority while we move in the ‘new normal’ post-COVID d tourism. This will also help to revive our industry of three million direct and in direct persons and bring in the much needed foreign exchange to the economy,” the statement has further noted.
OSL take:
The reopening of Sri Lanka’s airport has helped recommence several key economic sectors with tourism being the main sector. Sri Lanka’s tourism industry was one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the country until the Covid 19 pandemic affected global travel. It is a positive sign to see the arrival of foreign tourists from several key tourist markets. Sri Lanka being listed as a must visit destination by several leading global travel publications and the safety and hygienic certification received by the country have made it an attractive travel destination for post Covid travel. Hence, business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry are once again expanding. Foreign businesses/investors could explore business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20210126/Z_4 |