The tourism industry in Sri Lanka was riding a surge when the Easter Sunday serial bomb blasts in and around capital Colombo dealt it a severe blow.
The island nation had set the target to welcome over four million tourists this year and had announced to offer free visas to citizens of more than 30 countries, including the US, UK, European Union and Thailand, to attract visitors during the low Yala monsoon season.
Since the April attacks that left 258 dead and more than 500 injured, thousands cancelled their bookings and people already in the country, left as soon as they could. Many countries also issued travel advisory to their citizens against non-essential travel to Sri Lanka. The government has been taking action. It has made many arrests and busted the hideouts of several terrorists. Security has been tightened in Colombo and across the island.
The Kingsbury was among the three five star hotels in Colombo that came under attack on April 21, the other two being Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, and Cinnamon Grand Hotel.
In an interview with TAN, The Kingsbury general manager Christine Chevalaz shared the current situation at the hotel and her views on how long she thinks the industry will take to recover.
Excerpts:
TAN: What is the atmosphere at The Kingsbury? Are guests/staff still tense or have people now become used to the increased presence of security personnel with guns around?
Christine Chevalaz: We have been terribly shaken by the recent terror attack and understandably, it has been a very challenging period. However it has been the stance of the management and the entire team of The Kingsbury that it is our responsibility not just towards our clientele but also to our staff, our suppliers our third-party partners and to the industry as a whole to get back on our feet and restore normalcy.
The hotel is slowly picking up with many guests coming to patronize us to show their support and solidarity. We have had our loyal guests from overseas come back to stay with us weeks after the incident. Many guests have expressed their wish to visit soon.
We are developing promotions to suit the current environment. We have some good room offers and also some interesting dining offers in many of our restaurants. We have had many weddings that have taken place, one of which took place two days after the incident as the bridal couple insisted that the event be held, and we put our best foot forward to give the couple and their guests a memorable day despite a challenging situation.
To reassure our clientele and enhance safety we have set in place very detailed security procedures from the entry to the hotel, covering the periphery as well, with the support of state security. This has evoked a lot of positive responses from guests as well as employees. We focus on ensuring that the security checks are done in a hospitable manner which do not make guests feel uncomfortable. We strongly believe that the more extensive and thorough our security measures are, the safer and more secure our guests and employees will feel.
Seeing the armed forces around us gives us a sense of security and does not feel threatening in any way. In fact we are deeply appreciative of the security and support provided.
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TAN: Several countries, including India, have issues travel advisories concerning Sri Lanka. Media and industry reports suggest hotel bookings have plunged. You are offering big discounts now. How long, do you think will it take for the hotel industry in particular and the tourism industry in general to recover in Sri Lanka?
CC: Terrorism has reared its head in most countries across the world now and most destinations have their own set of instabilities. I would say that there is hardly any location that can be completely cleared of any threats. I believe that the country’s (Sri Lanka’s) intelligence is doing its very best.
Being a foreigner myself, I do feel safer in Sri Lanka than in most other countries and I believe that things should stabilize soon. Sri Lanka will bounce back and we already see tourists coming back just weeks after the incident to explore and experience the magic that this island has to offer.
In fact this week we had a group of ten very enthusiastic and exuberant travel bloggers who visited the hotel and will be touring the island. I am positive that the entire government, the tourism ministry, and related partners will work together to rebuild the trust of tourists.
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TAN: What is your message for the people who had been considering a trip to Sri Lanka but are now unsure whether to go ahead?
CC: As I mentioned previously, this island will bounce back. Its resplendence, beauty and richness cannot be stolen away. Measures are being taken to ensure that safety across the island is enhanced and restored.
Sri Lanka was voted the number one destination to visit by Lonely Planet and all the elements that gave us this title are very much in existence and are waiting to be discovered by travellers searching for authentic experiences.
I am confident that tourism will be revived and we will enjoy the wealth of visitors from across the globe once again.
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