Mixed response to ‘Safe and Secure’ COVID-19 certification from tourism industry

• KPMG sends letters to 78 applicants; only 27 respond, 14 of them receive certification
• 10-15 withdraw applications to convert hotels into quarantine centres temporarily
• Sri Lanka Tourism Chief says compliance certification process is a tough assessment given health and safety priorities

By Charumini de Silva

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) yesterday confirmed that it had received over 160 requests from hotels for ‘Safe and Secure’ COVID-19 standard compliance, with 14 registered accommodation providers certified so far.

“Of the requests received so far, which is around 160, about 10 to 15 hotels have pulled out to convert their hotels as quarantine centres. Priority has been given to certification of accommodation, since international bookings can be done only with certified hotels,” Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando told the Daily FT.

In July, SLTDA awarded KPMG Sri Lanka the contract to issue ‘Safe and Secure’ COVID-19 safety standard compliance certification to registered accommodation and service providers. 

The certification will ensure these hotels have implemented the guidelines outlined by the Health Ministry to resume operations post-COVID-19 and foreign tourists will only be able to reserve accommodation in these hotels that are compliant and recommended.

“Although the KPMG has sent letters to 78 applications for self-assessment, only 27 of them have responded and they have issued certification to 14 hotels within Colombo and suburbs so far,” she added.

Fernando noted that hotels out of Colombo had also applied for the certification, but the Audit would be conducted once there was a cluster wanting to obtain the same from the area.

As part of recovery efforts, the SLTDA will roll out this compliance certification process to enhance cleanliness and hygiene practices for 650 tourism related entities and individuals covering service providers as well as activity/attraction places in the first phase currently in operation.

She assured that all service providers who had made the request would be assessed, after hotels were issued with compliance certification.

SLTDA is investing over Rs.7 million in the first phase and the first assessment will be free of charge. However, if the establishment fails the free first inspection, the establishment will have to bear the cost the second time.

The costing will vary depending on the sub category for the second time evaluation process. Sub categories include three-star hotels and above, one and two star hotels and tourist hotels, boutique hotels, villas and deluxe bungalows, guest houses, restaurants, tourist eating places and shops, travel agencies, tourist guides and drivers, and attractions and activity places.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Chief assured that they would not risk the 22 million people in the country by issuing the ‘Safe and Secure’ compliance certification process in a haphazard manner.

“The compliance certification process is a tough assessment and not everyone will get through it, if they are not prepared. Sri Lanka Tourism will not risk the lives of 22 million to issue certificates. We have appointed an audit firm which has international experience in health and hospitality industry to conduct the certification process for tourism establishments in the country in a systematic manner and we are confident that issuance of certification will be completed before the reopening of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) for foreign travellers,” she said.

At present there are over 2,500 SLTDA registered entities.

Sri Lanka’s tourism has been hit by COVID-19 with zero foreign travellers during the past five months from April to August. SLTDA data depicted the dismal “0” for tourist arrivals in these five months. The Government terminated the arrival of all passenger flights and ships into Sri Lanka from 18 March.