August tourist arrivals dip 20% from July

Releasing dollar peg will attact more UK people Saturday, 03 September 2022 08:51 AM

UK tourists might be diverting to South India and Kerala, as their pounds/dollars can get them far more nights in 5-star hotels than they can here. Prices of goods here, is going up. Even hotel has to charge further for AC use with electricity charged at what it cost to generate. And they have diesel generator for 24 hour operations too. Only releasing the peg on dollar will give overseas money/tourists more interest to come here compared to nearby similarly warm beach having destinations. Day by day as inflation goes up, but while dollar is pegged and the buying ability of even tourists deteriorates. Past tourists mention about the changes in costs on social media.

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Maharagma man Saturday, 03 September 2022 11:32 AM

Is the August number an anomaly, or is it usual, from before the covid-19 pandemic for there to be dip in numbers after July? It is only beginning Autumn in UK, so those people don't have reason to start traveling for our much better climate conditions. India recently tanked us with their travel advisory about problems here, but that was recent.

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John MacDonald Saturday, 03 September 2022 04:06 PM

Sri Lankan hotels in the mid - range are not , and never have been , value for money. Absolute top end hotels are value compared to similar European prices but the rest definately not. Hotel owners are greedy , before the current situation their costs were far lower than european hotels and wages to their staff appalling , but still they charged almost similar to europe. Europeans travellers arriving from trips via India often mention how India is much cheaper and value for money.

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Punchi Saturday, 03 September 2022 05:10 PM

My understanding is Hindu groups who organised a demo outside Indian parliament is now discouraging tourism to our most blessed but failed paradise. But is OK we may not have food, fuel, tourists etc, our stomachs may be empty but we something very unique our unique version of the triple Gem that fills our souls

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Sam Saturday, 03 September 2022 06:12 PM

The majority were not tourist as such. Just ex Sri Lankans who have moved into greener pastures returning to see family who haven't yet been able to leave.

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Paul Mercer Saturday, 03 September 2022 09:06 PM

Sri Lanka is not a cheap destination anymore. Hotels charge in dollars and the GBP and Euro are at historic lows against the dollar. Throw in 70% inflation, lack of food ( i haven't seen an apple or cheese or wedges for weeks), power cuts, walking streets in the dark and no fuel to navigate the country the traditional markets will not come. Oh and by the way there is a European wide recession imminent

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Pantha Kumaran Sunday, 04 September 2022 02:26 PM

Please note these people visited Sri Lanka during July and August are not proper tourists. They are Sri Lankans who now hold foreign passports. When you produce your September figures you will see a heavy drop in this figures. Please do not fool people with wrong information.

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“ The Lansi Burgher Gent “ Monday, 05 September 2022 05:31 AM

There’s no lure to come here anymore. Most foreigners know they are being fleeced, from the tuk tuk chap to the bell boy at the hotel. Wherever they go, most are out to make a quick buck out of them. There’s nothing much left anyways - the jungles and forest reserves are almost void of most wildlife, i.e leopards (hunted illegally and you will be lucky to see one, if at all) elephants - declining in number due to ignorant villagers killing them and poachers joining in for the tusks, our beaches are filthy (plastic strewn all over, rubber slippers, tin cans, broken bottles and what have you) the hills almost barren with houses cropping up all over (e.g Kandy - what has come of it today, sadly) and our tea estates turned into a very depressing sight (many estates aren’t estates anymore, dilapidated colonial bungalows and places like Nuwara Eliya and Ella becoming a severe eyesore. “Godey” is the word) This is a paradise lost unfortunately and it has lost its sparkle. Better off in Goa.

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rbh Monday, 05 September 2022 09:38 AM

The tourist has advance information as the water price is high how can they dip in the water, The August arrival figure is a dip. To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries how can you give this flavor to our country the sri lankan living in other country are advising the present situation

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