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Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Tuesday, 29 June 2021 02:29 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The tourism industry will meet Central Bank Governor Prof. W.D. Lakshman today (29) to lobby for new relief, at a key discussion arranged on the request of Minister Prasanna Ranatunga.
All industry associations have been invited for the meeting with the hope of making a strong case for additional, if not continued, relief from the Central Bank for the tourism sector, which has suffered the most as a result of the ongoing COVID pandemic and the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks.
At present, the Central Bank is supporting the tourism industry and others with an extended debt moratorium from banks and finance companies, as well as concessionary working capital.
However, the tourism sector has requested for the write-off of outstanding debts or interest waivers, a move which neither the Central Bank nor the Government has agreed to.
Sri Lanka Tourism said concrete support from banking and non-banking financial institutions was critical for the industry to sustain itself and be ready when travel resumes.
