How to kick-start our economy through health tourism

We must position Sri Lanka as a country that has natural resources such tea, spices, Ayurveda, herbal medicines, sunshine, places for mental relaxation, immunity boosting food, and caring people that can be a safe haven for those wanting to escape the spread of the virus – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara

While the leaders of the country are battling with the pandemic, guided by the health and military establishment, with the pure focus of stopping the spread of the virus, the economy is taking an unbearable beating. 

I have been looking at the issue from some different points of view and studying what is being done by various countries, while stranded in Dhaka with the sudden stoppage of flights.

The fallout has affected many industries negatively and some positively. While ICT, telecommunication, healthcare, food, personal care, e-commerce, agriculture, food retailing, and home delivery industries are thriving, airlines, hotels, restaurants, travel, apparel manufacturing, tea exports, other exports, real-estate, non-food retail and the small businesses related transport, trading, construction, etc. are negatively affected.

Sri Lanka has pretty much prevented the community spread of the virus and has resources that can be used to boost up the industries that are negatively impacted. Here is a strategy that can help Sri Lanka convert this crisis into an economic opportunity. 

Firstly, we must position Sri Lanka as a country that has natural resources such tea, spices, Ayurveda, herbal medicines, sunshine, places for mental relaxation, immunity boosting food, and caring people that can be a safe haven for those wanting to escape the spread of the virus. 

Let’s convert some of our resorts into health resorts where travellers must spend two weeks of mandatory quarantine. They sign up for this before they travel. They are provided immunity boosting local food and herbs during this period and their stay is made comfortable with Sri Lankan hospitality. 

During this period, they go through a mandatory COVID-19 test and if they are tested positive they are transferred to hospitals for paid treatment. They need to all have the relevant insurance before they arrive. 

Only SriLankan Airlines can bring such visitors initially and the cabin crew need to be in the best personal protection gear. Passengers need to be temperature checked before boarding and not allowed on board if there is temperature beyond a threshold. Their temperature needs to be checked on board and on landing too. 

Economy class should have only 50% seating with seat gaps in between passengers, and the airfares should be higher to compensate for the loss. Airfares should include the mandatory quarantine cost as well. On landing, the passengers should be taken directly to the quarantine resorts they select. 

We could have different price ranges based on the type of resort and services. The Mattala Airport could be equipped and used for this purpose given its proximity to resorts and distance from crowded cities. Other airlines will be allowed if they are willing to maintain these mandatory health standards.

Once the tourists complete quarantine they are given a certificate and a pass that enables them to tour Sri Lanka. All guides, hotel staff, etc. should be tested. And they should start work after two weeks of self-quarantine that can be done until this service is put together. The above process can be tested with Sri Lankans overseas who need to return and then be extended to foreign tourists. 

We could also have our apparel factories manufacturing branded clothing items for their buyers and have it available for the purchase by tourists who are provided additional 10kgs baggage to take them back home. We could get our malls and non-food retail shops operating again with these services.

While all this is done, a continuous education program about the need for social distancing, hand hygiene, masks, and immunity boosting food practices needs to be carried out. Infrastructure such as social distancing lines in bus/train stations, banks, retail shops and drive through testing stations, additional medical facilities, ventilators, ambulance services, etc. need to be developed with the increased foreign exchange earnings. 

Guidelines such as the number of persons in restaurants, supermarkets, busses, trains, etc. need to be set to ensure proper social distancing. If any cases are detected, contract tracing, self-quarantine and even targeted lockdowns can be enforced based on agreed threshold levels. 

This will have a boost on our airline, hotels, restaurants, indigenous industries, healthcare, apparel industries and small businesses. It will boost our economy, enhance our image and position us as the country that used our resources and converted a crisis into an opportunity to create a safe haven for the rest of the world.