Issue necessary guidelines to open hotels: Minister

Industrial Exports and Investment Promotions, Tourism and Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranatunga requested the relevant authorities to issue the necessary guidelines soon in order to reopen the tourist hotels and restaurants by next week, which were closed during the COVID-19 epidemic.

The minister has informed the health officials that the tourist hotels would be reopened as a complimentary effort of re-establishing the daily lifestyle of the people in the country.

At a discussion, Chairman of the Tourism Development Authority Kimali Fernando said that the guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on this matter have already been distributed among tourist hotel owners.

Minister Ranatunga said proceedings with regard to reopening the hotels and restaurants would begin soon as the government has recognized the difficulties faced by the hotel owners in paying the salaries for employees while the hotels are closed.