Tourism’s SMEs dismayed by state inefficiency

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In view of this situation the SMEs want the authorities to ensure that the promised recovery plan and the JWT promotional campaign that was scheduled, be carried out as planned and expedited. In addition, they have requested a 5-year repayment period on the loan package since they would take at least 12-18 months to recover, Luxe Asia Managing Director Chaminda Dias said. All they request for is a one year deferment on the capital repayment without collateral and a 5-year repayment period, he said.

Moreover, Mr. Dias pointed out that they would be suggesting to SLAITO to take in their concerns and ensure that the road shows that the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) board had decided to cancel be resumed for their sake. In addition, the SMEs will be asking for an increased participation of their members in the industry advisory bodies and a sub committee comprising of SMEs on the SLAITO body and an additional Vice President level representative from the SMEs, Mr. Dias explained.

They pointed out that having paid the government billions in taxes today they are struggling to run their businesses since the government has not yet addressed their concerns either by way of promotions or even financial relief and this is their pain, the industry’s majority stakeholders lamented.

Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) President Sanath Ukwatte also noted that they would continue to pressure the government to assist the SMEs within the hotels sector to obtain the soft loan offered in the relief package to the industry.

“We urge the government to expedite the loans to our members who are not in a position to meet the requirements by the banks as they are mainly from the SME sector,” he said, adding: “We urge the government to underwrite these loans so that they can utilise the soft loans to maintain their businesses and livelihoods.”THASL has a membership of 235 out of which a majority are SMEs.