Sri Lanka tourist influx has dropped down to 21% because of the double rebel attacks, refraining tourists to visit the country. Moreover, the US has warned its citizens not to visit the country.
There was a sharp drop in the tourism percentage of about 21% in Sri Lanka. There have been fewer tourists visiting the island after a major suicide attack was launched by Tamil Tigers against a military base, reported Lanka Business Online.
The tourist arrival in Sri Lanka has dropped down to 3.6% to 37,104 this year from the same period last year. According to Sri Lanka Tourism (SLT), the first nine months’ slip down was 21% to 350,779 till September.
There was no reason for alarm in spite of the rebel attack that took place twice in the third week of October 2007. The attack took place in the southeast at a wildlife park. Also, a lethal ground and air attack took place on the Anuradhapura military base, said SLT.
Anuradhapur is an old, holy Buddhist city and a major tourist attraction. It is located to the north of Colombo, the capital, about 210 Kilometers (130 Miles) away. Many tourists have been advised by their embassies to avoid the north and east of Sri Lanka for traveling on account of the clashes between the rebels and security forces.
The revenue from the tourism industry declined by around US$ 55 Million this year, as compared to last year, according to central bank data. The US has issued a warning to its people through a statement to United States to avoid going Sri Lanka. The step is expected to be followed by several other western countries like Germany, New Zealand, Britain, Italy, and France – major countries that account for a significant part of high spending tourists to Sri Lanka who selects the country as their preferred holiday destination.
A Senior Research Analyst at RNCOS says, “Though Sri Lanka claims that its mission is to make Sri Lanka attractive for foreign tourists and make them loyal to the country as preferred destination but the recent row of violent incidences and countering military attacks by rebels in the southern parts hardly supports it. It can have a negative impact on the country’s ailing tourism industry and even can not let it to revive. Worst, these rebellious attacks could cripple the Sri Lankan tourism industry in near future”.
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