New Joint Council prepares for future tourism challenges
View(s):Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is gearing up to establish a Joint Council comprising hoteliers and tour operators to work together in partnership with other stakeholders in the industry to face up to the future challenges.
Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) President Sanath Ukwatte told the Business Times on Friday that the joint council will establish a framework and work in partnership with all other stakeholders like the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises in Tourism (ASMET) and the Sri Lanka Tour Guides Association.
He pointed out that THASL would like to have an understanding with the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) to address the “shocking decline of hotel prices almost to the levels we had during the war.” Should this trend continue, he noted that it could “tarnish the image of the country.”
In this respect, THASL hopes to engage SLAITO with the intention of stabilising rates in a market where there is an unlimited supply of accommodation both in the formal and illegal informal sectors, mainly the apartment rentals to tourists, without a proper strategy to increase demand, Mr. Ukwatte explained.
In view of these developments the two associations hope to lobby together to put a halt to new hotel developments and ensure there would be a taxing of the informal sector as well.
In addition, he said “we would like to exert pressure on the government to roll out the long overdue international marketing campaign without any further delay.”
The immediate goal would be for both associations to work together to maintain the common minimum selling price whereby the country could earn more foreign exchange, Mr. Ukwatte said.
This would ensure that Sri Lanka could be positioned “as an affordable destination rather than a cheap destination.”
Meanwhile, SLAITO President Devendre Senaratne told the Business Times that they were looking at establishing the Joint Council in order to address industry issues.
The government has already established two other bodies, namely the Tourism Advisory Committee headed by businessman and industry leader Harry Jayawardena that is currently engaged in advising the authorities.
In addition, another 13-member Task Force was appointed by the Prime Minister headed by Carsons group chief Hari Selvanathan several months back with the aim of driving Sri Lanka tourism’s vision for 2025.
The Tourism Act No. 38 of 2005 has stated that not more than six persons – nominees of the Joint Council of SLAITO and THASL – would comprise members under the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB).
An overdue matter, the Joint Council is being established only this year since the enactment of the Tourism Act of 2005.
Its formation was discussed at a meeting held for the first time in this regard between THASL and SLAITO recently where it was noted that marketing and human resources issues were alike for both these sectors.
In this respect, they agreed that it was best that the two establish the Joint Council to approach government officials or authorities in working out their issues without going alone.
Discussions also delved into how to position the two organizations and where the demands were and at which level they should be advising the government in respect of the category of rooms, Mr. Senaratne said.
In addition they also looked at how to address their marketing and HR development matters with the relevant government authorities.