The tourism industry in Sri Lanka has much growth potential and there should be a collective effort to take important decisions by the hoteliers themselves, an industry expert said.
“The government needs to provide an enabling environment for the tourism industry to flourish. However, some of the decisions related to the industry should be taken by the industry as a whole,” Chairman Jetwing Sympony, Hiran Cooray said.
Referring to the imposing of a minimum room rate, he said that this decision should have been taken by the hoteliers and not by the government.
“It would have been prudent, if the hoteliers took this decision taking into consideration related facts and figures. For instance, the room rate in Colombo should be looked at with the land prices and the country would have benefitted from this move. The room rate in Colombo should be much higher than the present rate. Such far reaching decisions will enable the industry to move to the next level,” he said.
Jetwing Lake, the latest addition to the Jetwing Group of Hotels launched Green Directory validating its commitment to a sustainable environment. The Jetwing Hotel’s commitment to sustainability is driven by a heartfelt desire to play its role in the spheres of environment and community.
“When it comes to environment sustainability, there is also a risk element associated with it.
We have invested substantially in this regard and these initiatives have help to brand the country as a green destination. The Jetwing Group’s sustainable strategies will boost the image of the country and attract more tourists,” he said.
The Jetwing Group plans to expand its hospitality operations to countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos in the near future which also plans to introduce the sustainability initiatives in these countries.
“Our group of hotels is internationally recognised. This has resulted in attracting more tourists to our properties. We are far ahead from our competitors when it comes to sustainable tourism,” he said.