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Last Updated : 2024-05-19 23:42:00
6 February 2023 05:13 am - 11 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Nishel Fernando
Eyeing to welcome 250,000 Indian tourists this year, Sri Lanka is exploring the possibility of adopting India’s home-grown cross-border digital payment systems as part of the country’s strategy to lure in more Indian tourists by enabling a cashless travel experience.
In an interview with an Indian news agency last weekend, Sri Lanka High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda revealed that enabling payments using RuPay card and RuPay mechanism is being considered as a part of the country’s tourism strategy.
“They are even looking at the possibility of using the RuPay card and RuPay mechanism. So, that tourists coming to Sri Lanka would find it easier, that is also part of our tourism strategy” he said.
Speaking to Mirror Business, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairman Priantha Fernando noted that it would be up to the Central Bank to make a decision on accepting payments using RuPay cards and the payment mechanism.
A growing number of countries have adopted the RuPay card and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment system through partnerships. RuPay currently dominates India’s debit card market while competing with global payment card giants in the credit card sector.
Last year, India accounted for 17 percent of the tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka as the single largest source market. For this year, Fernando shared that SLTDA is expecting to 250,000 tourists from India, up from 123,004 arrivals recorded in 2022, as the country targets 1.55 million tourist arrivals for the year.
He noted that several roadshows and promotional activities have been planned to promote the destination among Indian travellers. In addition, the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) convention with a participation of 750 delegates is also scheduled to be held this year.
Commenting on the anticipated tourist arrivals for this year, Fernando was confident of exceeding the 1.55 million tourist arrivals target in particular with the re-opening of the Chinese market towards mid-March and the pick-up in tourist arrivals from Europe.
In January, tourist arrivals jumped by nearly 25 percent YoY to 102,000 almost reaching 105,000 arrival target set for the month.
Vass Monday, 06 February 2023 06:00 AM
You don’t need to be a Mathematical genius to realise Indian tourists do not bring tangible benefits to Sri Lankan economy. Knowing this it is a mystery why the focus is on the Indian tourists.
Suri Monday, 06 February 2023 10:31 AM
Indians spend the most during travel according to WTO... Your ministry's are not fools
DPerera Monday, 06 February 2023 10:48 AM
You have no idea about Indian tourists. Present day young middle class Indian tourists are having more disposable income than so called western tourists
Shakabum Monday, 06 February 2023 11:49 AM
You are right. The hoteliers dont want it, the guides, the tourist outlets and other services operators do not want it and think it does not bring anything to country and if not it ruins the industry and the image of the tourism product. But there is an organisation named SLAITO and a small set of its people who are well in control over the minister want it over other good markets for their selfish gains.
Sadguru Monday, 06 February 2023 10:00 AM
Indian smugglers mostly, not Indian tourists.
Sammy Monday, 06 February 2023 12:01 PM
@Vass I guess beggars cannot be choosers. Even though individually they may spend less than a Westerner, in terms of total expenditure it will be a sizable amount. Besides Indian middle class and upper clas are expanding and they increasingly take vacations not only in destinations like Maldives and Seychelles but also West. Surely that is something to think about.
tilak Monday, 06 February 2023 12:23 PM
Vass- answer is very simple, they are the only tourist coming to SL
Seqi Monday, 06 February 2023 02:34 PM
Why do this but still not allow Russia to set up the MIRS transaction system here. That would encourage more tourists from Russia......
Punchi Monday, 06 February 2023 03:33 PM
Already most of our auto drivers are conversing speaking in Tamil to South Indian tourists. If we have linked financial systems it will be a new form of financial colonialism.
VJ Monday, 06 February 2023 08:51 PM
A large majority of Sri Lankans hate Indians and Indian products. They think they are inferior and they also think Indians means Tamils. But they don’t mind the money brought in by the Indian tourist. Is it OK to assume everything in SL came from India?
Shaan Tuesday, 07 February 2023 04:27 PM
Too much Sri Lankan pride for most of us including myself. We always thought India means dirty and poor. But in reality Sri Lanka is going backwards and India is going very progressive they have a very good bureaucracy and it is improving day by day their well educated ias ips ifs and other agencies public servants are really serving for their people, Unlike ours who lick the politicians boot and do nothing for country’s progress. May be in 10 or 20 years we might need to beg India to attach our country as state of India.
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