Letters to the Editor
View(s):Travellers to Sri Lanka left confused and helpless
A foreign friend of mine wanted to visit Sri Lanka to launch a social project that we started to increase the reach of vocational training to rural communities. He already had the two vaccines more than 14 days prior to the planned departure date and was willing and able to do the PCR test less than 96 hrs before the arrival date, and pay for the airline, hotel, PCR tests in Sri Lanka, and health insurance. He had reviewed information provided at the government websites, inquired from travel agents in Sri Lanka and spoken to airline executives about the process and requirements for travelling to Sri Lanka. Surprisingly, each person had provided him information slightly different from the other.
Assuming that SriLankan Airlines, being a state-owned entity, would be the best and reliable source of information for potential travellers, he checked its website and followed the link to “Latest updates on COVID-19” from the home page. From there, he randomly clicked on the “Covid-19 Travel Alerts” link and then on “Important notice for passengers travelling to and from Sri Lanka”. Based on instruction number A.1.5“Foreigners arriving for important projects/meetings/ discussions as invited by the Sri Lankan Government/Private Organization, should get prior approval from the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka (Email: entry.permission@mfa.gov.lk) for them to arrive by submitting necessary details with the letter of invitation from Sri Lankan counterpart.”, he submitted the documents via email. There was no reply. However, after he spoke to a Sri Lankan friend who spoke to another person, approval was given after six days.
Thereafter, an airline executive in Colombo advised him to apply for the visa through ETA Sri Lanka, which he did after purchasing the return ticket to Colombo. He received an immediate acknowledgement from ETA, but no approval for three days. Then a travel agent in Sri Lanka told him to travel as a tourist. Accordingly, he followed Sri Lankan Airlines instruction number A.1.3 “Travellers arriving via Sri Lanka Tourism, should get the prior approval to enter the country via Sri Lanka Tourism through, https://www.srilanka.travel/helloagain.
Anyone visiting helloagain site will be confused. The home page has a pleasing banner — “Welcome back to the paradise island of Sri Lanka…. we’d like to bring your attention to the ‘things you need to know ‘ for your safety as you make your way to an amazing time that is So Sri Lanka!” We are so looking forward to welcome you!
Scrolling down this page takes you to a list of downloadable pdf files. Of them, “Health Protocol for Arrivals to Sri Lanka” file describes the steps that includes booking a hotel, obtaining Covid Insurance, paying for PCR tests, etc. Then one must download a second pdf file to find a matrix of 181 Level 1 hotels. They are listed randomly-not alphabetically or by city.
Column 2 of the matrix is titled “area”. To find Colombo area hotels, one must scan 181 hotels. After selecting a hotel, he contacted the four listed hotels in Colombo. One hotel was very efficient. Two did not reply and one did not have vacancies.
The efficient hotel explained the procedure and promptly acknowledged payment and confirmed the arrangements. However, we had to contact a friend at the Tourist Board and get the ETA approved as he had applied before booking the hotel because the hotel required an ETA confirmation number to make the booking. It took my friend a total of eight days to arrange the travel, cost $400, and left him in suspense until the hotel staff told him that he was free to leave 18 hours after his plane landed in Colombo. Fortunately, he had some persons, albeit providing confusing information, to enable him to attend the meeting.
If it were a non-English-speaking tourist, senior citizen, or someone without “connections”, the probability of being “welcome back by Sri Lanka Tourism” are low.
When the country is spending scarce tax money to attract tourists by offering safe, convenient and courteous visits, one would assume that those at the top would themselves have checked the “ease of use” of processes and improve the processes based on feedback. Our email to Srilanka Travel has yet to be acknowledged. It seems that the likes of Chairman of Tourism Sri Lanka, Minister of Tourism, and leading hoteliers have not reviewed the procedures, or are uncertain of the procedures themselves. Is it not the duty of those appointed by the government to provide citizens, tourists, and business travellers value for their money? My friend spent more than $2000 on accommodation, meals, shopping, etc., during the six-day stay in the country, which should be valued at a time when the reserves are low.
If the intent of the regulations is a pretence of state support for the ailing hotels, travel agents, shop owners, and taxi drivers, I can understand the amateur website — “helloagain. If not, should not Tourism Sri Lanka respond to the suggestions of the tourists that have visited Sri Lanka recently? Should not the private sector note these than harp on the changes to the Tourism Act? Should not the government appoint experienced professionals to be responsible for tourism development? It is fine to appoint ex-servicemen, campaign financiers, and current CEOs of companies to head state institutions. It is also fine if these appointees have not contributed to the body of knowledge or society or paid income tax in the past. But make these appointees demonstrate their achievements and successes of campaigns like “helloagain” and at least now disclose user feedback publicly. Otherwise, send them home. Political patronage at the expense of taxpayers is not kosher.
Prof. Prianka Nalin Seneviratne Via email
Beach pollution: Surveillance and enforcing law need of hour
As is evident from the image, beach pollution goes on unhindered on the beaches of the western coast.
It only shows that the citizens – at least some – care less about the environment.
There are enough laws in force to prevent such beach pollution but the need of the day is, surveillance and enforcement.
Community social responsibility initiatives like beach clean-ups might increase awareness but the need of the hour is enforcement and fines.
It is evident that most of this garbage flows down from the canals of Colombo to the sea and there lies the problem.
The authorities must analyse the root cause instead of grappling with the symptoms of the illness.
Satyajit Satarasinghe Colombo 3