NEWS mixed fortunes for the country’s tourism sector since April’s terror attacks
Tighter security feels more reassuring than alarming
Katie with
Farzana Dobbs, Travel Gallery
Malik Fernando, Resplendent Ceylon
Travel Weekly features and supplements editor Katie McGonagle is in Sri Lanka with specialist operator Travel Gallery to see how the tourism sector is taking steps towards recovery
At 6.30am, we were the first to arrive at Sigiriya rock fortress, one of the most popular – and most crowded – sights in Sri Lanka, and it seemed worryingly empty. On Sunday, just 650 foreign tourists came, less than a third of the number prior to the Easter Sunday atacks. Yet as we clambered down
just aſter 8am, we passed a steady stream of tourists from Germany, Switzerland, France and China, and guards at the entrance told us about
250 visitors had passed through already. It was the same story on our leopard-spoting safari at Wilpatu National Park, where we saw just a handful of couples and families in other vehicles. Tourists are still coming to Sri Lanka, but not in the numbers they once were. On arriving at Colombo last
Saturday, military personnel were conducting security checks at each airport entrance, and at the ancient city of Anuradhapura, guards checked our bags and gave us a short search before entering the temple complex. Tese measures can be expected
at some tourist sites, yet it feels more reassuring than alarming. In fact, with fewer crowds and some great-value deals in the market, there’s a strong argument this is a good time to go. Perhaps the most striking thing
is how pleased the locals are to see visitors. Sri Lanka relies heavily on tourism – its third-biggest industry – and with the financial fallout still rippling across its economy, tourists clearly have a key role to play in the country’s recovery.
AGENTS’ FEEDBACK
Boutique hotel group The Sri Lanka Collection hosted a fam trip last week. Here is what two of the agents thought:
Rachel Nicoll, product manager, Cazenove+ Loyd
“I just got back from Sri Lanka after having the most fantastic time. I really think there has never been a better time to travel. In terms of how busy it was, it was a mixed bag – in certain areas there was a clear presence of tourists, but it was much quieter than usual.”
Kay Franklin, managing director, Shellseekers “I did notice a little extra
security in the form of police and military presence on the roads and more at the airport. This was not intimidating in the slightest, more of a reassurance. Sri Lanka needs tourism to return as soon as possible.”
THEN AND NOW
O Manisha Gunasekera, Sri Lanka’s high commissioner to the UK, said all perpetrators have been arrested, and security increased at hotels, airports, shopping complexes and tourist areas.
O The government has reduced VAT for hotels and cut ground-handling costs and embarkation levies at Colombo airport. Airlines have resumed schedules.
Sri Lanka enquiries down but ‘conversion rates are good’
Specialist Sri Lanka operators are reporting enquiries are down by as much as 75% year on year, but that conversion rates are higher than ever. Farzana Dobbs, managing
director of Travel Gallery, which offers bespoke travel to Sri Lanka, said: “Mid-July to mid-August was our peak departure period. We have kept about 50% of that. Of the bookings in April and May, many
travelweekly.co.uk
have rebooked for September, and we have had new bookings for Sri Lanka/Maldives combinations. “Whereas we would get 30 to 40
phone calls a week with enquiries to Sri Lanka, we get 25% of that now, but the conversion rate is beter because people have made a conscious decision to go to Sri Lanka.” Te Experience Travel Group,
for which Sri Lanka makes up more
than 40% of business, lost about £1 million in revenue following the atacks, only partly recouped by switch-selling customers to other Asian destinations. Sam Clark, co-founder and managing director, said: “Aſter the FCO [relaxed] its advice, we saw an immediate boost in website traffic and enquiries increased week by week. Tey are converting at quite a good rate.”
25 JULY 2019 17
PICTURE: Shutterstock
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100
