Fresh proposals on travel and tourism sectors to go before Cabinet

• Tourism, aviation industries discuss quick revival strategy with Minister
• Sri Lanka Tourism collaborates with health experts to prepare report on guidelines to resume hotel business, related services
• SriLankan Airlines set to resume, passenger operations from June
• AASL calls to make PCR test necessary for all travellers
• Minister assures to submit relevant proposals to Cabinet in soon

By Charumini de Silva

Fresh proposals to revive the crucial travel and tourism sectors in the country post-COVID-19 are to go before Cabinet shortly, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga disclosed yesterday. 

This is following a meeting of top travel and aviation industry officials with Tourism and Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranatunga for the first time post COVID-19 outbreak, to discuss the key issues pertaining to the development of the sector and seek suggestions to achieve a greater revival. 

The meeting was productive, with an exchange of views from key institutions, including Sri Lanka Tourism, Airport and Aviation (Lanka) Ltd (AASL) and SriLankan Airlines, on concerns and the way forward.

“The proposals and revival strategies of tourism and aviation industries were discussed separately at institutional level, and the focus was on developing a coherent plan for the two sectors,” the Minister told the Daily FT.

During the meeting, Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando explained that the ambitious plans of Sri Lanka Tourism for 2020 are now under threat from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she stressed that Sri Lanka Tourism has identified short and long term revival plans for the sector.

Reopening of hotels, continuity of buffets, and procedures tour guides and all related service industries must follow on resuming operations were brought to the Ministers attention.

In response, the Minister directed Sri Lanka Tourism to prepare a comprehensive report after consulting health experts with regards to the resumption of their business models and services.

Ranatunga assured to introduce a mechanism to provide relief to those engaged in the tourism industry.

SriLankan Airlines Chairman Ashok Pathirage shared that the airline is ready to commence operations subject to World Health Organisation (WHO) and international air transport guidelines. 

Accordingly, the national carrier would first commence with its cargo business, followed by passenger transportation operations, with the gradual control of COVID-19.

He requested the Government to obtain the relevant international air travel clearances on the routes and procedures to resume operations gradually from June onwards.

Pathirage pointed out that the safety of crew and travellers were of utmost importance, as well as the need for personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff, deep-cleaning, and disinfecting aircraft materials.

The Minister tasked the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) to coordinate international flights with relevant agencies.

AASL Chairman Rtd. Major General G. A. Chandrasiri, presenting the procedure to be followed in restarting operations at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), insisted on the need to have a recently-conducted PCR test for all arriving and departing travellers as advised by WHO.

While the 24-hour inspection of the passengers arriving and departing from BIA will continue, the Chairman requested the Government to consider the duration of the quarantine period of arriving travellers coming to the country.

The Minister assured to take proactive steps to submit the relevant proposals to the Cabinet in the immediate future.

He called attention to the re-opening of institutions under the purview of the Ministry on 11 May and advised the heads of the tourism and aviation institutions to strictly follow Health Ministry guidelines in resuming work.