Faster opening of SLTPB Rep. Offices in key markets will quicken tourism revival

German Ambassador Jörn Rohde this week declared that early opening of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Representative Offices in key markets will help quicken revival of the leisure industry post-Easter Sunday setback. 

"Soon after the 21 April Easter Sunday terror attacks, Tourism Minister John Amaratunga said Sri Lanka Tourism

German Ambassador to  Sri Lanka Jörn Rohde

Promotion Bureau Representative Offices will be set up in key markets. This move is very important to ensure a quicker revival of tourism. Over three months have passed and we would like to see the opening of such an office in Germany as soon as possible," the Ambassador told the Daily FT. 

Germany is the fourth largest tourist source market for Sri Lanka, and Rohde said that the proposed SLTPB Representative Office will encourage tour operators in Germany who have been supportive thus far. More road shows will help growth as well, he added.

"Sri Lanka must pursue measures that can boost tourism on a sustainable basis," he emphasised. 

He said that with Sri Lanka's tourism regaining post-war with over 2 million tourists attracted last year, the country will need to invest continuously on key initiatives to maintain the growth momentum. 

Ambassador Rohde also commended private sector initiatives as "very positive" to revive tourism post-Easter Sunday setback.

He welcomed the Government's host of measures to fast-track the revival, such as moratoriums on loans and interests, concessionary working capital, reduction of taxes and charges, and launch of free-visa-on-arrival for over countries.

"Germany, which is the fourth-largest source market, is committed to support tourism revival and was one of the first countries to relax travel advisories on 28 May," Rohde recalled.  

Last year there were 156,888 German tourists to Sri Lanka. In the first six months of this year, arrivals from Germany were down by 11% to 71,438. Prior to Easter Sunday setback arrivals from Germany in the first three months of 2019 were however down by 26% to 24,423, and in April picked up by 56.7% year on year to 16,930, thereby reducing the first five months total dip to 1.8% to 66,359 compared with the corresponding period of last year.