Financial Times

Tourist shopping: Vendors being reined in
Visitors to well-known tourist destinations usually like to take away with them mementos of their visits. These can take the form of replicas of famous landmarks located in those destinations, such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Empire State Building in New York and the leaning tower of Pisa.

In Sri Lanka, carvings, sculptures or paintings of the Isurumuniya lovers and the damsels of the Sigiri frescoes have been endlessly reproduced for sale. Increased sale of local crafts may provide a stimulus to the development of traditional crafts. The batik clothing industry received a tremendous boost with the growth of tourism in Sri Lanka. Sales of local crafts can also contribute to the growth of a destination.

Souvenirs taken home by tourists may induce repeat visits by helping the visitor retain memories of previous visits. Others who admire the souvenirs may be persuaded to visit the places from where they originated.

This, of course, is possible provided the carvings, paintings or sculptures are artistically executed. That places an onus on the tourism and cultural authorities to ensure that the souvenirs on sale bring credit to the nation and do not smear its name.

That means that tourist shops must operate within a regulatory framework that will ensure that product quality is maintained. In destinations where there is a system of quality assurance, tourist expenditure on shopping can be a high proportion of their total expenditure as in Hong Kong where it approached 60 percent before the territory reverted to mainland control.

This was largely due to the presence of many international brands of cosmetics, clothing and electronic goods. Although there is no comparative figure for Sri Lanka, earnings of registered tourist shops as a percentage of total official tourist receipts amounts to 23.2 percent.

Being centrally situated among several South Asian shopping destinations like Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, Sri Lanka has the potential to develop as a shopping destination. While many products with international brands of repute are available in Sri Lanka, some local brands of clothing like Odel have achieved an international reputation.

The Tourist Board has recently strengthened its regulatory arm by gazetting the Specified Tourist Services Code under the provisions of the Tourist Development Act No. 14. The Code provides for the publication of regulations for registration of establishments providing a variety of tourist services, e.g., guest houses, restaurants, tourist shops, sports centres, diving stations, spice gardens and even elephant safari services. Registration enables the Tourist Board to enforce appropriate standards. According to the Director/Trade Standards, Upali de Silva, the Tourist Board would ensure that tourist shops have a business registration before they are approved. At present there are 135 registered tourist shops in operation.

They are required to price-mark the products on display. The inspectors of the Board would also ensure that products made with banned animal parts are not displayed for sale. The shops do not pose a problem for registration under the Code as they have definite places of business within hotel buildings or nearby streets, which can be inspected and products on display examined. But what of the vendors who walk the beaches and streets in the vicinity of hotels preying on gullible customers? What of those who also peddle illegal merchandise like narcotic drugs or solicit custom for professional women or provide the needs of paedophiles? Known as the informal sector, vendors who roam the resort areas are more difficult to control, there being no fixed place of business.

Such vendors can even cause immense damage to the reputation of the country, thus negating the results of years of costly destination promotion. A book entitled "A Disorderly Excursion", containing random travel notes by Robertson Collins, former Chairman, Development Council, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), contains an incident worthy of note that took place in Colombo while he was travelling in the company of Australian Museum Director, Peter James.

One evening, after reading the impressive list of distinguished guests of the past on a marble plaque at Galle Face Hotel, they decided to cut across the green to their own hotel. This is what followed.

As soon as they stepped off the lit walk, a man described by Collins as soft-spoken and friendly, a universal figure, a professional, keeping pace with them, offered "drinks, massage, pretty girls" in a nearby building.

Once the man was snubbed and then melted into the darkness, another appeared, as if on cue, and offered them "boys" of varying ages. He also offered to change money at a high price. Soon they found themselves in a circle of light where some local sweets were being sold. And the man did the vanishing trick.

The book has done the circuit in international travel circles. This is an illustration of what touts can do to reverse the effects of years of promotion in the international travel market.

Tourist Board's Director/Human Resources Development, U.P.S. Pathirana, has improvised a scheme to bring these peddlers under control. The scheme is being implemented in the tourist areas of Beruwala, Bentota, Unawatuna, Koggala and Sigiriya.

The vendors operating in these areas were enumerated and listed for the purpose of issuing identity cards as a license to operate in the area indicated on the card. Vendors without identity cards are not allowed to operate. In Sigiriya, this is done in co-ordination with the Cultural Triangle.

The Tourist Board issues a license to practice as a 'Site Guide' to selected individuals on the payment of a fee of Rs. 600. In case of a complaint, especially by a tourist, the license is withdrawn.

During the tourist season, inspections are carried out by the Board with the assistance of the police in order to track down errant operators. By this means, the Tourist Board hopes to minimize or eliminate the harassment of tourists and possible extortion apart from peddling of prohibited items or promoting the sex trade.

Many of the managers of medium scale resort hotels agree that the scheme is having a salutary effect.

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