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‘High boutique hotel occupancy rate belies claim that SL attracts only low-end tourists’
By Rathindra Kuruwita
It is claimed in some quarters that Sri Lanka attracts only low-end tourists, but there is a high occupancy at the 600 boutique hotels in the country, says Chalaka Gajabahu, Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board (SLTPB).
“A room in one of these is over 250 dollars. The occupancy of these is also over 70 percent. We are also giving free visas for seven main source markets. Maldives also get about the same number of tourists as us, but on average a tourist that arrives there spends over 600 dollars a day. An average tourist that comes here spends between 160 and 180 dollars a day,” Gajabahu said adding that in 2018, Sri Lanka had earned over 4.5 billion U.S. dollars from tourism.
Although all countries faced the COVID-19 pandemic, Sri Lanka’s main competitors did not face an economic crisis. The economic crisis in 2022 dented Sri Lanka’s international image, he said.
Sri Lanka has traditionally focused on its nature and culture to attract tourists, Gajabahu added.
“We are all in one capsule minus the snow, that’s how we should think about ourselves. We have about 140 shipwrecks. We are planning to introduce balloons over national parks. This is ideal for the high-end market.”
Gajabahu said they have invited over 200 social media influencers and they are due to arrive in the country to promote tourism. They are also planning a 10-year promotional campaign to promote tourism, he said.
Meanwhile, Udana Wickramasinghe, Director – Research and International Relations of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) said over 1.26 million tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka by 27 November. This is about a 79 percent increase compared to 2022.
“Our target for 2023 is 1.5 million tourists. However, in 2024 we can attract 2.3 million tourists. I am confident of this. From the data we have, most of our hotels will have an occupancy of at least 80 percent, from December 2023 to March 2024. The trend is good. By 2030, we can attract five million tourists a year,” he said.
Commenting on claims that tourists that arrive in Sri Lanka are spending less dollars compared to pre pandemic years, Wickramasinghe said this is due to the depreciation of the rupee.
“The purchasing power of tourists has grown. They can spend less dollars in Sri Lanka now.”
Wickramasinghe said a large number of individuals, employed in the tourism sector, left the industry following the collapse of tourism in the past few years. SLTDA is also conducting a tourism sector workforce study to identify if these people are returning to the industry, he said.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
