Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Kishu Gomes says that the massive decline experienced in Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is a normal occurrence for any country in the face of such terrorist attacks.
“We see a massive decline. This is a normal. If you take it as percentage its about 70% drop in bookings,” he said, speaking to Ada Derana on the impact of the Easter Sunday attacks on the island’s tourism industry.
However, he said that while this situation remains that way, on a daily basis around 1,800-2,000 tourists still arrive in Sri Lanka. He said this is a positive sign. “These individuals come because they are satisfied with the security situation in the country.”
We hope to completely guarantee the security within the country in the next two months and to bring the tourism industry to its previous level, the SLTDA chairman said.
He stated that by the end of the year, only a decline of 20-30% compared to the previous year is being expected overall.
