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By Shirajiv Sirimane

The Sri Lanka tourist industry is gearing to meet a record number of tourist arrivals in the forthcoming winter season after a lull of over 18 months which intensified with the terrorist attack on the Katunayake airport.

All leading hoteliers, tour operators and officials in the industry attribute this success to the ongoing peace process.

Director Marketing, Jetwing Hotels Lalin De Mel, said that they have an unprecedented number of bookings for their 17 hotels around Sri Lanka. "Therefore we will not offer any 'last minute specials' as done in previous years for the tour operators".

He said that one of their prime properties Blue Water at Wadduwa is already having an 80% occupancy rate. "This is a clear indication as to how busy and prosperous the season is going to be".

He also said that the group is expecting somewhat different clientele for their latest venture, Jetwing Ayruvedha Pavilion in Negombo.

Chairman Aitken Spence Ltd, Prema Cooray said that lack of flights would play a crucial role for the season.

"This has not improved and it would cut down on the number of arrivals specially from Germany and the European market".

He said that the arrivals from UK and Germany had not been encouraging during the off season but said it should improve for the season. "However, in contrast the Indian arrivals had increased to the extent that they topped the list of arrivals during the off season". Cooray said that Kandalama Hotel had been operating on a high occupancy and they would continue to operate on a high occupancy. "Our group had a good Italian clientele during the off season which did a round route in Sri Lanka and Maldives. We are expecting a good response from the Italian market for the season as well".

A senior official of one of Sri Lanka's largest tour operators, Walkers Travels, a subsidiary of John Keells Holdings, Wasantha Leelananda said that two new charters from Holland and Switzerland would arrive in Sri Lanka this year. "This is really encouraging for the local tourist industry".

He said that almost everywhere in Asia there are political and terrorism problems with the latest being Nepal. "If these factors are considered, one can say that Sri Lanka is the safest destination in Asia".

When asked why tourists are not keen on visiting Jaffna despite having daily domestic flights he said that it was because of the lack of infrastructure such as hotels.

He said that they are in the process of promoting Jaffna and have taken tour operators to Jaffna. Another agent said that most of the accommodation available in Jaffna is being occupied by the locals specially during the weekend. "How many air-conditioned rooms can you find in Jaffna," Leelananda asked.

"Besides, there are hardly any promotions by these few hotels in the region. It is high time that the authorities negotiate with the security forces and ask them to vacate from the hotels such as 'Subash', they are occupying". "Jaffna is yet to be promoted as a tourist destination by the authorities. The secret in Trincomalee is the infrastructure and publicity it had received as a tourist destination. Sadly Jaffna is yet to receive this boost".

An official of Tangerine Tours said that the signing of the destination status agreement between China and Sri Lanka in China next week will have a major impact on the local industry. "For the first time we can expect high spending tourists from this region which is the largest populated country".

He said that their properties at Nilaveli and Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya have good bookings for the season. "We have a very good mixed clientele for all hotels for the season".

He said that in recent times India had been flying in more tourists.

"With more flights and the scheduled opening of the ferry service, Sri Lanka can expect a mixed clientele from this region".

CEO Galle Face Hotel Anura Lokuhetti said that Sri Lanka would get a good Indian flow of tourists with the proposed ferry service. "We cannot expect the high spending tourists at the beginning. But they would follow". He said that the latest issue of 'Time' magazine has allocated three pages for Sri Lanka and this would be a major boost for the country.

"However if the Maradana incident spreads or an announcement of an general election is made it could ruin the would-be prosperous season".

The CEO said that the city hotels have had very positive inquires for the season. "Usually City hotels do not get long advanced bookings and do not get long staying clients".

General Manager Sales, Confifi Group said that tourists are looking for holidays at the upper end of the market and experience greater volumes of luxury rather than bookings for in the lower end category of hotels.

"Therefore the demand is more towards luxury holidays and this gives an indication that Sri Lanka is moving towards the upper yield clientele which is a positive sign".

He said that their five-star property, Edan Resort and Spa which is Sri Lanka's first spa resort would do extremely well in the coming season. "Bookings for health holidays are also on the increase". However, Managing Director Confifi Hotel, Stefan Furkhan said that more flights have to be introduced to cater to the demand specially from the German market.

"Since the Euro is firm the buying power of tourists would not be high. Due to this factor some Europeans may opt to take inbound tours in their own countries".

He said that Sri Lanka will only have short-term gains from the Bali crisis. "Some tourists who were planning to travel to Bali have redirected their itinerary to Sri Lanka".

Furkhan said that terrorism in any part of the world is a cancer to the travel industry. He said that more than the Bali incidents the developments in the Gulf will have an adverse effect on the Asian travel industry.

"This is because people will be reluctant to fly to the region".

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