News
Tourism operators say hiccups in fuel scheme
View(s):By Wasantha Ramanayake
The tourism sector’s fuel QR system introduced by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) was not fully functional, and tour operators alleged they were in a quandary.
Some operators said the QR codes were not functional as of Friday evening. The matter had been reported to the SLTDA.
The QR code was issued to SLTDA-licensed tourist providers such as tour operators, hotels and guides from March 17 to get fuel without lining up.
The SLTDA website advises tourism operators to retain printed QR code letters which could be used to facilitate getting fuel whenever there are conflicts with the tourism QR code.
Foreigners wait their turn in a fuel queue in Weligama. Pic by Tharanga Chanaka
SLTDA, on its website, further advises tourism operators to contact Ceypetco regional supervisors for further assistance, and a list of contact details is on the website.
The Sunday Times spoke with a Ceypetco supervisor in Kandy about fuel distribution to tourist vehicles. Tourism services operators had sought help over non-functional QR codes. “I had instructed the particular assistant at the Ceypetco filling station to keep a copy of the printed letter and to issue fuel,” he said.
However, the police on duty at the particular station were not aware of the tourism QR code nor about the printed QR letter, he said.
This was despite the request by SLTDA to the IGP to instruct the police at fuel stations to allow priority access to vehicles upon verification of a QR code issued by the SLTDA.
Based on the details on the SLTDA website, the Sunday Times tried to contact two supervisors of Ceypetco’s Kurunegala district but failed. Galle and Colombo district supervisors of Ceypetco were also not contactable, a senior manager of a tour company alleged.
The details of the Tourism Fuel QR code are only in English on the SLTDA website. In most instances, tourist coach owners and drivers are not aware of offering printed QR letters to filling stations in case of a non-functional code.
They were also not aware of any contact details of any Ceypetco regional supervisors for any further assistance, as given on the SLTDA website.
Awareness among fuel station managers and staff of the alternative procedure when the QR code is not working either is minimal. According to a tourist coach owner who had tried to refill ahead of a nine-day tour, the manager of a suburban filling station was not aware of the QR letter.
There were instances where tourist groups were refused fuel since the QR code was non-functional. In one instance, a tour coach with a group of tourists was refused fuel in Valaichchenai on the eastern coast. According to a manager of a destination management company, the filling station refused fuel. “Only after the intervention of the tourism authorities did they finally give us fuel,” he said.
Although SLTDA had informed Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to issue fuel to tourism vehicles on a priority basis with the copy of the passport of one of the tourists along with the licence of the tourist driver or the guide, issued by the SLTDA, some Ceypetco filling stations were not aware of this arrangement, it was observed. Similar incidents were also reported from other parts of the country.
“We had a smooth drive from Negombo through Dambulla, Kandy, Bandarawela and Tissamaharama to Mirissa. We got fuel from Negombo, Dambulla, Kandy and Bandarawela without any issues,” said a tourist guide, who gave his name as Dodangoda. According to him, all the filling stations and those in queues were accommodating.
However, there are a large number of unlicensed, unregistered travel agents involved in inbound operations. If these operators can get a QR code is not clear.
Attempts to contact the SLTDA were not successful.
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