Hoteliers tired of explaining political situation to foreign guests

Hoteliers handling foreign guests have been going through some embarrassing moments these days. First, it came with the power cuts, and now with the protests.

Some hotels found their own ways to pull out from the difficult situation. Candlelight or beachside events during the power cuts were among the options.

Last week’s sudden 36-hour curfew was one of the instances that caused inconvenience to tourists. Some on short visits to Sri Lanka were the worst affected. Those who planned train rides to their destinations were also held up.

Last Sunday, one Negombo hotel manager was posed with the question by a young foreign girl as to why a curfew was imposed. The manager reasoned that as the people dislike the President, the people were protesting and the curfew was to stop them from getting on the streets.

“Is your President still in the country?" she asked. "If the people dislike him he should listen to the people and he should quit,” was the response from the young girl.

The hotel manager speaking to a local later on, said he was ashamed and fed up of explaining the situation to foreigners and listening to unsolicited advice from foreign guests about what should or should not happen, when their own countries are not without their problems.