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Key proposal for freeze on capital and interest repayment to be discussed at first sub-committee meeting today before recommending for Cabinet approval tomorrow
Low interest rate for working capital and duty-free import of security equipment likely as part of support; moratorium for hotel employees loans and leases sought too
Industry also wants taxes and levies slapped on room rate to be deferred
Insists Govt. is obliged to extend biggest support as occupancy has crashed to 5% from 75% after Easter Sunday attacks
Sri Lanka Tourism Chief says 1,800 tourists continue to arrive daily though down 70% from previous lean season duration
New measures to lessen inconvenience for arriving and departing passengers at BIA
By Nisthar Cassim
The banking sector is likely to extend a one-year moratorium on capital and interest repayment of loans taken by the tourism businesses, if the move gets recommended by the sub-committee tasked with reviving the industry post-Easter Sunday attacks. The proposal is up for final approval by the Cabinet this week.
With occupancy crashing to a paltry 5% from 75% since the 21 April mayhem, the tourism industry has put forward multiple proposals to stay alive as well as pay the salaries of its staff. Among them is the moratorium on capital and interest repayments of loans taken by the registered tourism businesses for two years, but the Government is likely to limit it to one year, working capital at low interest rates (2% recommended by the industry but Government may offer it at 6% provided concessionary or grant schemes are available), a moratorium on loans and leases taken by hotel industry employees; and duty-free import of latest security equipment. Another key proposal is the deferment of 15% VAT, 2% Nation Building Levy and 1% Tourism Development Levy (amounting to an effective tax of 20%) on room rates till a full-scale recovery.
These requests are apart from lifting adverse travel advisories by tourist-generating countries, an immediate public relations campaign to stem negative global media coverage and an overall strengthening of the security situation.
Industry sources said that given the failure or lapses in security, the Government was obliged to extend its fullest support. Moratorium and related support, once approved, will require the Central Bank, which is also engaged in the tourism revival discussion, to issue relevant directives to the banking sector.
With 2.3 million arrivals, tourism accounts for 5% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), had earned $ 4.4 billion in foreign exchange last year and employs 400,000 directly and another 300,000 indirectly.
The specific financial support measures were ironed out on Friday during a meeting between State Minister of Finance Eran Wickramaratne and industry officials. This was after the industry had separate discussions with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe early last week.
Sources told the Daily FT that finalised recommendations will be studied by the seven-member Cabinet sub-committee appointed to spearhead the revival of tourism industry, during their first meeting today at 3.00 p.m. at Temple Trees. After a thorough discussion, final measures will be tabled for approval at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.
The members of the sub-committee are Tourism Development Minister John Amaratunga (Chairman), Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama, Internal and Home Affairs Minister Vajira Abeywardena, Minister of Primary Industries Daya Gamage and Economic Reforms and Public Distribution Non-Cabinet Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva. Tourism Ministry Secretary, heads of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau,Tourism Development Authority, Conventions Bureau, and advisors to Minister Felix Rodrigo and Tourism Task Force member Dinesh Weerakkody will attend this crucial meeting as well.
The Easter Sunday terror attacks in Sri Lanka which killed over 250, including nearly 50 tourists and injured over 500, came just as the hospitality industry braced for the lean off-season when daily arrival averages 5,000 tourists. By last week this figure had plunged by 70% with daily arrivals amounting to 1,500 to 1,800.
Govt., industry await threat level clearance from security
Some viewed it as those with essential travel from the west or short-term tourists, whilst officials view it as an encouraging sign. The industry is also taking strength from the fact that for two weeks there had been no major incident since 21 April as the Armed Forces and policehave stepped up surveillance and cracked down on extremist elements or suspects.
The Government is awaiting a final assurance from the security forces that the extremist threat is fully under control, after which the aggressive PR campaign could take off leading to a return of tourists. In parallel, lobbying to lift the adverse travel advisories will be undertaken as well.
The tourism industry, with support from banks, are also expected to offer special deals to encourage more locals to patronise hotels for food and beverages.
Last week the industry met with airlines to map out a strategy to woo tourists by offering special combined packages at discounted rates.In the interim however, airlines are expected to scale down the number of flights till the conditions and demand improve.
Analysis by ForwardKeys, which forecasts future travel patterns by analysing over 17 million flight booking transactions a day, revealed cancellations of existing flight bookings surged 86.2% whilst new bookings fell away post-Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka. It said forward bookings for July and August, which had been running 2.6% ahead of last year as of 20 April, fell 0.3% behind as of 23 April. Prior to the Easter atrocities, Sri Lanka’s tourism industry was showing healthy growth with flight bookings in 2019 (1 Jan to 20 April) up 3.4%, it added.
The congestion at the Bandaranaike International Airport owing to stepped-up security measures is expected to ease this week with more streamlined and convenient arrangements for departing and arriving passengers being implemented.
