Travellers unaware of rules
Just as a large entourage of tourists from the CIS bloc were due to arrive yesterday (Saturday), the tourism industry earlier in the week was thrown into confusion as health guidelines were still under preparation.
However, at the time this edition went to print on Thursday, the authorities were believed to have reached a decision on the health guidelines.
In a letter dated Wednesday December 20 to the health authorities, stakeholder Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando has raised a number of concerns for the pilot project, some of which are; lack of any health protocols being issued and that several of the hotels identified for tourists from Russia to stay are not certified according to the relevant health requirements.
The letter notes that the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) had been clearly asked to focus solely on tourism aspects and not health at the meeting held on December 9 with Mr. Basil Rajapaksa, Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga and Mr. Udayanga Weeratunga on bringing down tourists on charter flights as a pilot project to opening the airport.
During that meeting though there were a number of relaxations discussed pertaining to health protocols like reducing the 14 day quarantine to seven days and carrying out PCR tests at the hotel and not the airport; however, no guidelines had been issued to the tourism authorities to be handed over to the travel agents to make necessary arrangements.
“We are concerned that we are yet to receive the Health Protocols for the pilot project from the Ministry of Health, nor a written request from hotels to accommodate arrivals on this Pilot Project, nor requests from travel agents to participate,” Ms. Fernando has stated in the letter.
In this respect, she has stated that the tourism app needs to be implemented to ensure that prior hotel bookings could be made, to recover the cost of the PCR tests, and ensure that a COVID-19 insurance policy is obtained.
It also asked to ensure the hotels tourists will be staying in will be sealed off from the general public and pointed out that hotel staff should not engage with the community during the time designated by the Health Ministry.
The letter also notes that the travel agents should be held accountable to adherence to health protocols during transportation and all transportation relating to the pilot project. She had also noted that private hospitals approved by the Health Ministry should be made available by the travel agents should the need arise.
SLTDA has repeatedly stated in the letter they are awaiting any directions to inform hotels and travel agents in handling these tourists.
In addition, SLTDA wanted to find out how the tourism sites will be permitted to be opened to visitors and under which conditions.
The Chairperson has highlighted that “several hotels selected for the pilot project have not been audited and certified. We wish to again raise this matter as arrivals are impending.”
It is also learnt that a number of travel agents are unable to go ahead with any bookings since tour operators are unable to attract any visitors without clear guidelines on the protocols to follow once they arrive in Sri Lanka.
Moreover, it was pointed out that Russian travellers generally do not holiday for 14 nights but would consider for a maximum of 10 days.
As a result even by Wednesday travel agents were confused as to how tourists for the pilot project in re-opening the country for tourists should be accommodated.