Tourism industry banks on winter traffic
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is banking on this winter season to generate the much needed travellers from around the world else the sector will not find it easy going forward.
Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) President Nishad Wijetunga told the Business Times that the industry is hoping for increased visitors during the winter season and is confident to handle the numbers. “All we are hoping for is a (better) situation because it will not be easy for the stakeholders if this winter season doesn’t perform.”
He noted that as long as the situation in the country remains as it is, the industry will see some increase in bookings for the winter season commencing November 2022.
Although there are signs of increased traffic from India and Eastern Europe, the industry is concerned over the negative media publicity in European markets.
“There are some concerns also being voiced by European agents, who are our main winter markets, about the very negative media out in their countries about Sri Lanka’s economic crisis and the fallout from it,” he said.
In the meantime, hoteliers and SLAITO have teamed up to carry out a PR campaign in the UK market over the next three months, Mr. Wijetunga said, as part of a private initiative.
During this campaign they hope to bring in some top media and social media personalities to tell the world in their respective publications about the positive side of the island, he said.
The FIFA Zone (football world cup) initiative led by the Tourism Minister and the industry is also seeing some reaction and chances are this would attract some of the football fans to Sri Lanka between their country’s games.
Mr. Wijetunga explained that these fans would be mostly from Europe and possibly South America.
In addition the industry’s participation at the World Travel Market (WTM) in the second week of November will send out a strong positive message that Sri Lanka is open and ready for tourists, he noted.
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