Tourism Advisory Board discusses immediate challenges for quick recovery

Monday, 29 April 2019 00:56 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Adverse travel advisory and need for the Govt. to speak in one voice key concerns

The Tourism Ministry Development Advisory Body led by business leader Harry Jayawardane met on Friday to discuss the immediate challenges facing the industry after the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

Sources said that the industry expressed concern given the several adverse travel advisories following the incident and the need for the Government to speak in one voice, thereby giving confidence to the world.

A security update and the security measures needed by the sector was discussed with the senior officials of the Security Forces and by the Professor of Security Studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Prof. Rohan Gunaratna.

In 2018, tourism’s total contribution including spillover impact to sectors such as food and beverage to Sri Lanka’s GDP was around 11%, according to estimates by the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Tourism Minister John Amaratunga, Secretary S. Hettiarachchi, industry leaders Vallibel One/Hayleys Dhammika Perera, Dilmah Tea Merril J. Fernando, Hemas Abbas Esufally, Galle Face Hotel Sanjeev Gardiner, John Keells Krishan Balendra, Jetwing Shiromal Cooray, Softlogic Ashok Pathirage, Aitken Spence Nalin Jayasundera, Shangri-La Timothy Wright, SriLankan Airlines Vipula Gunatilleke, Tourism Promotion Bureau Johanne Jayaratne, Conventions Bureau Kumar de Silva, Tourism Development Authority Upali Ratnayake, Ministry advisor Felix Rodrigo and National Tourism Task Force Dinesh Weerakkody attended the meeting.

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