Sri Lanka is Striving to Revive its Badly Hit Tourism Industry

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Sri Lanka is keeping no stone unturned to revive its badly hit tourism industry. Three years before, tourist figureswent down 18 percent after the bombings onEaster Sunday in April 2019. The coronavirus pandemic that came in 2020 proved to be worse. Arrivals droppedsignificantlyand there were no recovery signsuntil November 2021.It was when the Sri Lankan government dismissed all quarantine requirements for those who are fully vaccinated, inspiring vacationers to visit the island country without any apprehension.

It was indeed a welcome change with tourism being the third largest cradle of foreign exchange for Sri Lanka – right after worker transmittals and the clothing industry. Tourism is a huge employer and a source of important dollars that assist the Sri Lankan government in driving the country.

Sri Lanka also struggled with the worst financial disasterthat the country ever confronted. There wereeveryday power cuts and people wererequired to queue up for kilometers to buy cooking gas and fuel. Inflation was 17.5 percent in the month of February and the government of Sri Lanka has further tightened its constraints on imports, aggravating shortages. All these limitations are deterring tourists once again. In spite of this, the Sri Lankan government is eager to find ways to pay offa hugesum of foreign loans and it desperately needs tourist dollars. 

Former Sri Lankan President GotabayaRajapaksa had said that Sri Lanka needs to find a way out for people at the earliest.

« Back to Page