There is a silver lining for tourism, the hardest-hit industry since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus dubbed later as Covid-19, when Sri Lanka was given the Safe Travels stamp by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) last week.
The stamp is given to destinations where thorough safety protocols are followed in a bid to help potential travellers to find a safe destination to travel during the pandemic. The virus, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), has caused a 98 percent drop in international tourist numbers in May, 2020 compared to the corresponding month last year.
When the first patients of Covid-19 were detected in the island, the Government took steps to close all airports that took an immediate hit on the tourism industry. Industry stakeholders say that they are still in a limbo.
“We do not know how to move ahead. If we are given a clear date of the reopening of airports to tourists, we can plan our promotional work accordingly,” Prabuddha Jayasinghe of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises in Tourism Sri Lanka (ASMET) said.
According to M B Jayarathna, the newly appointed president of ASMET, the contribution of small and medium tourism businesses for the country’s foreign exchange revenue is 65 percent. In 2018, the total forex earned through tourism was US $ 4.38 billion and in 2019, it was US $ 3.61 billion.
Jayarathna said that the SME sector was the worst hit. “At least 75 percent people in the SME sector have lost their jobs because of Covid-19. This percentage translates to about 10,000 jobs,” he said.
In June, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) launched operational guidelines with health protocols that need to be followed to keep the virus at bay.
This includes a prior booking of the tour package via online or an SLTDA registered travel agency, while visitors are required to provide a negative PCR report taken within 72 hours before entering the country, a second PCR test done at the airport, a repeat PCR test done in 5-7 days of arrival in case the guest develops Covid-19-like symptoms and a final test done in 10-12 days of the stay if the tourist stays for over ten days.
Visitors will have to stay at least five-days here and pre-book the tour at a SLTDA registered and ‘Safe and Secure’ certified establishment. This week the SLTDA said that it has expedited the issuance of certificate to restart the tourism industry. The ‘Safe and Secure’ certification is given to establishments registered with the authority.
The Government is yet to decide on a date to reopen airports for foreign tourists with the Tourism Ministry awaiting the green light from the health authorities. “We are ready to reopen airports for tourists. As soon as we get authorisation, we will open airports for tourists,” Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said.
Even though the date for the reopening was initially set for August 1, it was postponed to facilitate the repatriation of migrant workers.
“We are hoping to reopen airports this month, but it looks like it could take longer,” Tourism Ministry Secretary S. Hettiarachchi said, adding that it would ‘probably be next month’.
The heightened second wave of the virus seen in most European destinations could add to the delay in the reopening of the airports, Hettiarachchi added.
He said that the ministry has fast-tracked the granting of a one-time allowance of Rs. 20,000 to tour guides and Rs. 15,000 to tourist drivers who are affected by Covid-19.
“We were advised by the Election Commission to give only Rs.10,000 during the election period. Now we can give the full amount,” he said.
However, the ministry is struggling to issue the allowance to tourism drivers due to the lack of a database. World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said, “Governments have a dual responsibility: to prioritise public health while also protecting jobs and businesses.
“They also need to maintain the spirit of cooperation and solidarity that has defined our response to this shared challenge and refrain from making unilateral decisions that may undermine the trust and confidence we have been working so hard to build,” he said.