WTM participants sour-faced

Shirajiv SIRIMANE

LONDON: The Maldives won top honours at the recently concluded World Travel Market, including the Best Stand and the Best Surfing Destination in the world, while Sri Lanka which started tourism before the tiny islanders was looking at an empty barrel lagging behind.

The stand put by Sri Lanka for the second largest leisure sector trade event, lacked vision, lustre and was far below expectations despite spending Rs. 43 million for the four-day event.

For the first time in the history some of the local Hoteliers were requested to place their 'offices' behind the main area and this too was not welcomed by the industry.

"There has been a division created," they said. There were also many who said that this was the worst Sri Lanka participation in WTM they had ever attended.

Veteran Hoteliers such as Hiran Cooray (Jetwing), Chandra Wickramansinghe (Amaya Resorts) Anura Lokuhetti (Hotels Corporation), Lalin De Mel (Consultant) said that better show was expected but they were all disappointed.

They also said that both the Ministry of Tourism and the Sri Lanka Tourist Board should come up with more dynamic programmes to re project the image of the country.

Chairman, Tourist Board, Udaya Nanayakkara said that they managed to reduce the expenses by nearly Rs. 28 million and this was an achievement. "WTM is a Trade event and not an exhibition," he said.