PM’s tourism policy and Budget proposals at odds

3 December 2015 02:40 am - 1 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s policy for the tourism industry and the Budget’s proposal to make SriLankan Airlines into a regional airline seem to be at odds with each other, Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka President Hiran Cooray noted.

“The national carrier should rethink its decision to pull out from Paris, Frankfurt and Rome,” he said.

The Prime Minister had been highlighting the need to attract the high-spending Western tourists since December 2014, which Cooray reinforced.
“The Prime Minister has also been talking of, and encouraging us to promote more and more to the European traveller, and our product is predominantly geared for the European traveller,” he said.

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake had justified the Budget proposal, saying that the regional routes will be profitable.
He had also said that SriLankan has accumulated losses of Rs.158 billion under the corruption and mismanagement of the previous regime. Karunanayake recently also said that Sri Lanka has an open skies policy to let more foreign airlines operate in the country.
“Now is not the time to give that space to someone else,” Cooray said.
He asked Tourism and Christian Affairs Minister John Amaratunga to lobby on behalf of the industry to maintain the daily European routes.
“We encourage you and your deputy to lobby the Cabinet and to see how they can be profitable routes as well,” he requested.
The national carrier is placed under the Public Enterprise Development Ministry in the hopes of better management, while many long-haul foreign carriers, which were making losses, are now making profits due to cheaper oil prices.
While Cooray said that since Sri Lanka’s tourist products are geared to Westerners and therefore the country cannot do without the routes, the country’s largest leisure operator John Keells is tweeking its products to cater to the booming economies of Asia.
International tourism experts visiting Sri Lanka have also emphasised that the high-spending tourists in modern times are from China and India.
While Sri Lanka has attracted the high-spending Indian, the country has only been able to serve the Chinese mass market so far.
The Prime Minister had said that attracting high-spending Westerners would automatically attract their peers in China, as Chinese tend to follow Western trends.
Meanwhile, Cooray said that Sri Lanka must transition to a completely sustainable destination, selling green tourism, eco-tourism and nature tourism. (CW)

See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Flowers, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,News, Courier/Delivery, Food Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka.

Comments - 1

Katie Tuesday, 08 December 2015 10:48 AM

This is so true. Mr Cooray has been in the tourism industry for a very long time and he knows what he is talking about. Mr Cooray pls push to rectify this mistake

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

PM’s tourism policy and Budget proposals at odds

Comments - 1

Add comment

RECOMMENDED

How and why the TNA was formed twenty years ago

India lays emphasis on culture diplomacy with Sri Lanka

Bittersweet memories of a ‘City that never slept’

Revisiting the Attack on Thirukumar Nadesan in India

Spotlight on Attorney General’s Department and Public Service Commission

How a 19-year-old TikToker is helping bring back the Woolly Mammoth!

Unmasking Sri Lanka’s Pyramid Parasites

Most Viewed in News

Stop gatherings as Sri Lanka goes on alert over Delta Plus

Health guidelines to be followed from Oct. 16 -31 issued

President said some recommendations cannot be implemented - Cardinal

Govt. approves cattle slaughter ban

Yohani to make her Bollywood debut

Those who used it to capture power won’t stay long: Cardinal

TODAY'S HEADLINES

Reopening of schools Teachers’ attendance best in north

Why was the law not implemented against Indian fishermen in the past - Fisheries Minister

SL booster dose rollout begins from Chinese Nationals

Mahindananda reiterates imported potassium fertiliser not chemical

MIRROR CRICKET

England take early T20I series lead over Sri Lanka

New Zealand clinch World Test title

LPL 2nd edition from July 30-August 22-SLC

Sanath Jayasuriya signs as coach at Melbourne cricket club Mulgrave

Team Preview: Power-packed West Indies primed for title defence

Team Preview: England - batting powerhouse with question marks over bowling

Team Preview: Proteas must hit the ground running in challenging group

Team Preview: Australia hope returning stars can reverse T20 woes