US joins public and private sectors to launch Career Bus Sri Lankan corporates shun Asian Cities
The coronavirus outbreak has not just impacted Sri Lanka’s outbound travel market but also caused uncertainty in trade with China as Sri Lanka’s tourism industry readies to participate at the biggest travel fairs next month in Berlin.
Organisers at the ITB Berlin fair have announced precautionary measures against the coronavirus. The fair normally results in 64 participating companies from Colombo. Another fair in Milan already has 16 companies confirmed.
Issuing a media release the ITB organisers have stated that though they “do not foresee any impacts” for the upcoming ITB Berlin, they have adopted a number of precautionary measures to ensure safety of all attendees.
A number of rapid response English speaking medical teams will be deployed along with other health professionals onsite; hand disinfectors will be provided at all entrances to exhibition and hand sanitation already installed in all toilets and washrooms; and authorities will be increasing the frequency with which sanitary facilities are disinfected.
More countries are shunning China and closing borders in a bid to contain the virus from spreading and in this respect, the European Union ( EU) is also reportedly discussing the possibility of introducing entry restrictions to Chinese nationals and recent visitors to mainland China are currently being discussed among EU member states, according to a report on the Schenegen Visa website.
Member states are said to be considering a suspension of visa issuance for nationals of a few countries in addition to China is also an option if the situation does not improve for the better.
Meanwhile, foreign local tour operators note that under the circumstances large tour operators that usually market China are now temporarily stopping this and have looked at attracting visitors to Sri Lanka.
In fact, JourneyScapes Managing Director Devendre Senaratne said that large tour operators will be conducting a special promotion as well.
He explained the main focus of the ITB fair would be the Western European market and how to cash in on arrivals from these markets.
The virus continues to increase its impact having infected 28, 276 confirmed cases globally and 564 deaths within China and one outside as of February 6, according to the World Health Organisation.
The WHO has declared the current situation as global public health emergency and has recommended a number of precautions to adopt in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus.
In the wake of the increase in the number of cases and a drop in revenue, the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) has urged the government to consider extending the moratoriums on all loans and interest granted by financial institutions for the tourism industry since the Easter Sunday attacks.
The tourism industry globally is likely to be impacted by the virus outbreak for at least another 6- 9 months. Sri Lanka attracts 10 per cent of its tourists from China but cancellations particularly of group travels have impacted on arrivals and earnings for an industry that was just picking up.
Corporates shun Asia
Most corporates in Sri Lanka are shunning the Asian region and as a result, of the seven companies scheduled to attend the Philippines travel fair, five had withdrawn participation this year.