Debate on tourist numbers heats up

Statistics generated by the foremost tourism body in the country, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has come in for criticism by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC).

In a research report published by the Economic Intelligence Unit of the CCC, accusations have been levelled against the manner in which the SLTDA tabulates their data and how data is collated.

SLTDA Director General Malraj Kiriella speaking with the Business Times on the issue stated that they were “not accepting the issues raised on the SLTDA statistics” and would issue a statement with the reasons. “We are issuing the statistics in a responsible manner,” he said.

The CCC report highlights that the method of gathering the data was questionable in carrying out calculations based on such information like the sampling error that the EIU states could “dramatically affect the calculation of earnings where the majority of those interviewed were Germans and French in 2016 in arriving at the average spend per tourist whereas the majority of travellers that year were Chinese and Indian”.

The report also points out that the survey questionnaire itself was far too lengthy and likely to deter tourists from participating and providing “considered and accurate responses.”

Moreover, the report finds fault with the line of questioning in the survey stating that it includes gen- eral questions on spending that does not according to the report’s findings capture well the expenditure patterns of experiential travellers who spend more on food, travel and sightseeing compared to airfare cost and total spend.

The report states that in targeting both tourists and transit passengers the survey was unlikely to contribute to the data on tourist expenditure or make a meaningful contribution to enriching the statistics on the industry apart for commenting as a potential tourist.