5 May 2018 12:02 am
The President of The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) Sanath Ukwatte said the recent incidents in Mirissa and harassment of foreigners in general has brought in great disrepute and has tarnished the country’s image as a friendly destination. However, he mentioned that Sri Lanka is still a safe destination compared to most other major tourist destinations in the region.
“Rather than looking into short-term fixes, what we need right now is to find long lasting solutions while the government and the law enforcement agencies and Coast Conservation Department should look into this matter to ensure that all informal sector operators register with Sri Lanka Tourist Development Authority (SLTDA), so that these beach outlets adhere to proper standards.”
He reiterated that “the need of the hour is to engage all stakeholders and to have an open dialogue”.
“As tourism is all to do with people, forums like this are important to find lasting solutions to issues at hand. As Mirissa once a small fishing village has transformed itself into a major tourist destination, tourism planners must find sustainable solutions to today’s challenges,” he added.
He called upon the government to carry out a major awareness campaign starting from the South Coast of the country to prepare communities on how to handle changes that they experience due to the influx of tourists and to create awareness on the competitive environment of the tourist industry.
“We at THASL would like to join hands with SLTDA to run workshops in key touristic areas on safety of tourists, general customer service, benefits and sensitivities of tourism”.
“It’s the duty of every citizen of our country to be kind and to protect our visitors,” he further said.