Last week hotelliers in the North Western Province and parts of Gampaha began offering astonishingly huge discounts – sometimes up to 70%. While it is by no means a good sign for the tourist industry of Sri Lanka, it is a great opportunity for tourists who dare to visit right now.
Many countries issued travel warnings for visitors who conside travelling to Sri Lanka, but the government is doing their best to ensure the safety of the country, both to outside nationals and to its citizens. Yet as long as there travel warnings, foreign tour operators cannot sell Sri Lanka as a destination – and Sri Lanka can count only on individual tourists who travel by their own.
Banks in Sri Lanka are supporting the local companies that provide services to tourists: moratoriums on capital and interest payments have been offered to many operators. Yet many suppliers of fruits and other products to the hotels almost lost their businesses. Hotels are cutting their prices – e.g. in Colombo, you can score a five-star hotel at half the usual price, some resorts in Weligama are offering packages of up to 60% off.
There Has Never Been a Better Time to Visit Sri Lanka
News in Asia
In the frame of the relatively recent tragic accidents that took place in Sri Lanka such statement may seem absurd, but it is still true: Sri Lanka is safe, the tourism industry will slowly catch up, and huge discounts are offered in many hotels.