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| Tuesday, 28 December 2004 |
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Devastation will not hit tourism industry in long term - Arjuna Ranatunge by Shirajiv Sirimane Devastation from the tidal wave which struck Sri Lanka on Sunday would not have a long term negative impact on Sri Lanka's tourism industry said the Deputy Minister of Tourism Arjuna Ranatunge. "This is a natural disaster and not an act of terrorism or sabotage which would have long term adverse effects," he said. He said that tourists from the South have now being brought to Colombo and are provided makeshift accommodation at the BMICH, Hotels Corporation and at other selected places. "We are assisting them to obtain temporary passports. We are also co-ordinating with the airlines to fly them back to their courtiers," he said. He said that they would be discouraging new tourists arrivals for the next three days. "This is until we monitor the situation as Sri Lanka is not in a position to offer them rooms," he said. He said that the tourist offices overseas have been updated and they would be contacting the Travel agents," he said. The Deputy Minister said that the exact number of tourist deaths and property damage were being assessed. Unconfirmed reports put the tourist deaths at over 100. An official of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board said some tourists in the South and the East Coast have been killed and their bodies are now being brought to Colombo. "To speed up procedure at hospitals and at the GMO we have requested the Police to photograph the victims, finger print them and send their bodies to Colombo," he said. A spokesman for Aitkin Spence Hotels group said that guests at all their coastal hotels are been evacuated. "They are now at the BMICH, Waters Edge and at the Taj Samudra lobby and the management and the their Travel agents are looking after all their needs," he said. Meanwhile, an official of the Travel Agents' Association said that Charter flights specially from UK, Germany and Austria are arriving to fly back the tourists. "These flights are arriving empty," he said. One of the worst affected hotels is in Trincomalee, Arugam Bay, Tangalle. In Yala 22 tourists including 17 Japanese were killed while there was severe property damage to the hotels. In the 25 room, Nature Resort in Tangalle, 15 people including the six tourists, Chairman Ranjith Wickramarachchi, and the entire staff lost their lives. According to the brother of the Chairman, Mihira, the bodies of the victims were being bought to Colombo last night. The least affected hotels in the coastal belts are from Negombo. "No deaths or major property damage were reported. Some, kitchens have been flooded," said a member of the Negombo Hoteliers Association. Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Tourist Board has set up a hotline (0112-437061) for any displaced foreign nationals in and around the affected areas. |
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