As Sri Lanka continues to grapple with its third wave, with a total 4,258 covid-related deaths confirmed on Wednesday, the country’s tourism and airlines have launched its largest joint-industry promotion to stave off financial collapse.
Earlier this month, authorities from Sri Lanka’s tourism industry requested relief from Sri Lanka’s Central Bank and for an extension of the debt moratorium. The industry has further asked for the Central Bank to “write-off of outstanding debts or interest waivers in order to sustain stakeholders who would otherwise have to shut down operations in the absence of tourists”.
The Financial Times writes that tourism in Sri Lanka has been particularly badly hit with arrivals in the first six months of 2021 reaching only 16,808 since the reopening of borders on 21 January. This is down 97% from last year’s first half.
The continued failure to adequately address the pandemic has led over 20 countries to restrict travel to Sri Lanka due to concerns over public safety. Health Promotion Bureau (HPB) Director Dr Ranjith Batuwanthudawa told Economy Next that those with comorbidities are not being vaccinated and there is the negligence of symptoms. This is the main reason for a rise in COVID-19 deaths, he states.
Tuesday saw a confirmed 63 deaths due to COVID-19, with 3,649 people dying during the third wave of the virus, and a total of 4,258 since the pandemic began.
Last Wednesday, Sri Lanka’s Tourism Ministry, in coordination with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, pleaded for 21 countries to lift their travel ban on Sri Lanka despite rising COVID cases. Over the past five years Sri Lanka’s tourism industry contributed around 11% of the national gross domestic product however due to the pandemic this has significantly shrunken.
Militarisation of tourism
Photo of accused war criminal and army commander speaking at Tourism Leaders Summit November 2020
Since the end of the armed conflict, the military has expanded its role in tourism by taking over businesses and vast swathes of land in the Tamil North-East, where intense militarization continues to be a pressing issue for locals. The armed forces have set up and continue to run several civilian businesses in the region, including holiday resorts for tourists.
The continued use of these military-run facilities by tourists benefits human rights abusers and reinforces the continued militarisation and Sinhalisation of the Tamil North-East.
Read more here.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
