Category: Tourism

Local hotels are eligible for a one-year import duty waiver, starting March 1, for tsunami reconstruction, says Ministry of Tourism. Local hotels are eligible for a one-year import duty waiver, starting March 1, for tsunami reconstruction, says Ministry of Tourism. “The Finance Ministry agreed to grant an import duty waiver for the hotels for one […]

A group of Austrian and German victims of the Asian tsunami disaster are to file a lawsuit demanding that Thailand, a French hotel chain and US forecasters prove they reacted adequately to the disaster, their lawyers said Tuesday.A group of Austrian and German victims of the Asian tsunami disaster are to file a lawsuit demanding […]

Tourist flows to the tsunami struck Paradise Isle are drying up and the tourism authorities are considering revising 2005 targets.Tourist flows to the tsunami struck Paradise Isle are drying up and the tourism authorities are considering revising 2005 targets. January is normally part of the winter tourism peak but January 2005 saw only 38,000 visitors […]

Government lifts import duties temporarily on reconstruction material and vehicles for tsunami damaged tourism companies.Government lifts import duties temporarily on reconstruction material and vehicles for tsunami damaged tourism companies. Hotels damaged by the tsunami can import reconstruction material free of all import duties, said the Ministry of Tourism on Tuesday. “Cabinet has approved, on principle, […]

The World Tourism Organisation says Sri Lanka could have minimized tsunami damage along its coast, if it had followed years’ old WTO building guidelines. The World Tourism Organisation says Sri Lanka could have minimized tsunami damage along its coast, if it had followed years’ old WTO building guidelines. The WTO had completed a Tourism Infrastructure […]

New hotel projects – that were approved before the tsunami- must re-apply for a building licence if they fall within the latest ‘no-building’ zone.New hotel projects – that were approved before the tsunami- must re-apply for a building licence if they fall within the latest ‘no-building’ zone. “People with licences obtained previous to the tsunami […]

Tourist arrivals could dip 20 percent from over 560,000 expected this year, even as the industry throws together a package of incentives to jumpstart hotels hit by tidal waves.Tourist arrivals could dip 20 percent from over 560,000 expected this year, even as the industry throws together a package of incentives to jumpstart hotels hit by […]

A tsunami that wrecked Sri Lanka’s coast in peak tourist season is having its better fallouts, pushing through delayed reform plans while the sector bounces back.A tsunami that wrecked Sri Lanka’s coast in peak tourist season is having its better fallouts, pushing through delayed reform plans while the sector bounces back. The Tourism Ministry said […]

Tour packages to Sri Lanka combining holidaying and aid work hasn’t ruffled many feathers, with tourism officials saying it can pay in the longer term.Tour packages to Sri Lanka combining holidaying and aid work hasn’t ruffled many feathers, with tourism officials saying it can pay in the longer term. New Zealand tour operator World Discovery […]

One of the hardest hit sectors that are bouncing back strongly is the tourism sector. One of the hardest hit sectors that are bouncing back strongly is the tourism sector. Many of the hotels that suffered minor damage are getting ready to take in tourists. Hotels elsewhere are also pushing hard to keep up. The […]

France, Germany and Britain will lift its travel warnings on Sri Lanka by the end of this month, as the country tries to persuade travellers that it’s safe to come back.France, Germany and Britain will lift its travel warnings on Sri Lanka by the end of this month, as the country tries to persuade travellers […]

Eight days after panic evacuation of tourists from Sri Lanka, travel agents and tour operators are cautiously looking at the possibility of re-selling the island.Eight days after panic evacuation of tourists from Sri Lanka, travel agents and tour operators are cautiously looking at the possibility of re-selling the island. “Two large tour operators, from the […]