When it comes to economic revival, Sri Lanka has pinned its hopes on the tourism sector in the short to medium term. On the one hand, a considerable segment of the workforce is employed in the tourism sector, and on the other hand, the tourism sector is one of the leading sources of foreign revenue. As such, sustaining the growth of tourism is paramount for Sri Lanka to stage an effective recovery.
Sri Lanka talks about how important the tourism sector is, how the country should develop it, and how it would improve many other sectors. However, an honest, impartial assessment of the tangible steps taken by the country to develop the tourism sector shows that the country is far from doing what needs to be done to improve the sector. Yes, there has been progress, but surely we can do better. Take for an example, the basic sanitary and toilet facilities at many of the key tourists’ sites, which still remain in shambles. The lack of a well-regulated tour guide sector is also a concern. Sri Lanka must act soon to address these shortcomings.
To make matters worse, some steps taken by the authorities allegedly to develop the tourism sector have been counterproductive. A good example is the recent decision to outsource the e-visa system, which, as per online discussions, many tourists find to be unfavourable. With the increase of the relevant fees, many foreign tourists now see entry to Sri Lanka as being more costly, in contrast to comparable destinations in the region. In response to the opposition against the move, the Government said that the decision was taken by the Cabinet of Ministers as per their powers. However, two questions are yet to be answered, i.e. why the Government decided to outsource it to a foreign company when there are so many competent, local tech companies that could have easily handed it, and if the authorities cannot handle the visa system, why no action was taken to provide the necessary knowledge or equipment to the authorities. The lack of transparency and the weak justifications given by the Government regarding what many in the tourism industry is calling a ‘poor policy decision’, does little to grow confidence in the Government.
On the contrary, what needs to happen is reducing the costs relating to entering the country, including flight and costs at the airport. That is an extremely simple tactic – the more foreign tourists that enter the country, the more they will spend in the country.
Another pressing issue the Government and the tourist authorities seem to have turned a blind eye to is service and goods providers that overcharge foreign tourists. While legal action has been instituted against such people, in a context where most of such cases go unreported, the country’s priorities should be taking preventive measures to discourage vendors from overcharging, and to educate foreign tourists about scams and overcharging prevalent in the country. Perhaps, the Government can start with the long drawn-out plan of requiring taxis to use metres.
To make money off of foreign tourists, the country has to first attract tourists. As simple as it may sound, it is the key. In order to attract more tourists, matters relating to their arrival should be made convenient and inexpensive. When coming to the country itself is a headache, not only do foreign tourists think twice about coming again, they think twice about recommending Sri Lanka to another person. Processes such as obtaining e-visa should be one of the simplest and fastest processes at the airport. The failure to give a good impression on arrival affects foreign tourists’ willingness to re-visit Sri Lanka. In the long run, such minor matters can also have a considerable impact on the country’s ability to compete with other regional tourist attractions.
The authorities must conduct an honest assessment about the country’s situation. Not only are we in a position to compete with most of the regional tourist destinations such as India and the Maldives, we are also desperately in need of foreign revenue. What we need to be doing is, making the process of entering the country as easy as possible for foreign tourists, and making their local experience as pleasant as possible. Instead of killing the goose that lays golden eggs, the authorities should think about long-term strategies, scientific objectives, and sustainable income sources.