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| Sunday, 21 August 2005 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Soft loans for tourist hotels hit by tsunami by Elmo Leonard Medium size tourist hotels hit by the Asian tsunami of December last can now obtain soft term loans of up to $600,000 from the previous limit of $100,000, a spokesman for the Central Bank of Sri Lanka said last week.
Enterprises dependent on tourism and damaged by the tsunami could also obtain such government funding consequent to the lobbying of the Ministry of Tourism, Secretary to the Ministry, Dr. Prathap Ramanujam said. The tsunami on Boxing Day took its toll on Sri Lanka's western, southern and eastern districts amounting to 144 hotels, 65 restaurants, seven resthouses, 161 guest houses and 50 other tourism related establishments such as gems, handicrafts and batik shops, travel agencies, water sports units and others, making a total of 427. Of this number, only 188 establishments were registered with the Ceylon Tourist Board (CTB). However, a major part of that number were registered with their local area authorities, Dr Ramanujam said. The Ministry of Tourism has now determined that the establishments not registered under the CTB will also come under soft term assistance. In addition, the Ministry is lobbying for loans to be granted to enterprises which depend on tourism such as textile, gem and jewellery and handicraft shops, vegetable and other suppliers to hotels and other such smalltimers who were tsunami-affected to receive funding. These loans will cover a grace period of six months, an interest of 6 percent and other factors which would depend on the credibility of the borrower. Some tsunami hit organisations have been destroyed to the extent that they cannot provide collateral to obtain loans, and the Ministry is also lobbying to assist them, Dr. Ramanujam said. When the tsunami struct end-December, the tourism industry was booming to the extent that 566,000 visitors had already arrived while the number of arrivals for the season covering the northern winter season of September to March 2005 was estimated at 550,000. By end-June, 80 percent of registered tourism related enterprises affected by the tsumani, and 50 percent of unregistered ventures were back in operation, according to CTB statistics. Arrivals of international visitors to Sri Lanka for the first six months of 2005 amounted to 254,088 as against 224,905 from January to end-June 2004, according to CTB statistics. Many of these visitors come under the category of FTI - Free Independent Travellers as opposed to those who could be categorised as tourists, brought into the country by travel agents. The tourist arrivals this year comprise 54,618 Indians, many of whom come to shop and as pilgrims to visit Kataragama in the deep south and the Muneswaran temple near Chilaw, of Ramayana fame tracing over 5000 years back in history. But, 75 percent of these international visitors stay in hotels within the Colombo district, according to sources. These visitors per capita spending is $76 per tourist per day for 2005, from the $72 per day per tourist in 2004, according to CTB statistics. Tourist arrivals for the first six months of this year have increased from South Asian and South East Asian countries in comparison to that of last year, while visitors from the traditional markets of Western Europe, being UK, Germany, bar France has dropped drastically. The French travel agents held their annual conference in Colombo, in March and they took back the message that Sri Lanka is free of desperate tsunami victims, which is what the west European tourists want to avoid. A campaign to promote Sri Lanka as a tsumani-blues-free destination has just got started in Western Europe, at a cost of $3.5 million. The funding comes from USAID Tourism Cluster and CTB, $1 million each and SriLankan Airlines $1.5 million. Another campaign to attract middle and higher income groups in India is to begin in the subcontinent with funds amounting to $80,000, Dr. Ramanujam said. ############ Cathay Pacific Drive and Fly competition Cathay Pacific Airways, winner of the Airline of the Year 2005 will launch a promotional campaign titled Drive and Fly from September 5 to mark the occasion. The competition, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka organised by Cathay Pacific together with Sun FM will present 40 business class tickets to Bangkok,Singapore or HongKong. To enter the competition all that a person needs to do is have a Cathay Pacific airways car sticker on their vehicle. Throughout September Cathay Pacific Airways will spot five cars which display the sticker and their registration numbers will be announced over Sun FM between 7.30am-8.30am. The first owner to get through to the radio station will be asked a question and if you answer correctly you win the trip of your choice. The competition is organised by Cathay Pacific together with Sun FM, Keels Supermarkets, Hilton, Classic Travels, Hemas Travels, Mackinnons American Express Travels and the car stickers are available free at the Keells supermarkets within Colombo, Hilton and Classic Travels, Hemas travels and at Mackinnons American Express travels. Cathay Pacific was voted "Airline of the Year 2005" in the world's largest passenger poll conducted by UK based Skytrax Research with 12.3 million eligible nominations in 2005. It was the second time in three years that the Hongkong based international Airline won the accolade, said Country Manager Sri Lanka and Maldives Edward Higgs. Cathay Pacific offers passenger and cargo services to over 90 destinations to 33 countries with their 95 aircraft including 20 Boeing and 15 A340 -300 Air Bus. He said that Cathay Pacific operates daily flights from Colombo to HongKong four days a week via Bangkok and 3 days a week via Singapore. It offers convenient schedules and connections from Colombo to HongKong and beyond with the fastest journey time to North America. Those travelling to BangKok and Singapore can do so without having to backtrack as Cathay Pacific is the only Airline which can operate all sectors on that route. ############ 'Rosen Renaissance' goes for Rs. 20 million refurbishment by Indeewara Thilakarathne "Rosen Renaissance", a popular stop over hotel in Kataragama, will go for a Rs. 20 million refurbishment this year said the owner of the Hotel Sagara Palihawadana. He said that 14 super luxury suites and a spa will also be added to the hotel. The hotel with unique architecture providing ample space for guests, was designed by architect Prasanna Gunewardena and constructed in 2002.The special feature of the hotel is that it has spacious rooms and 14 rooms with bath tubs. In addition, the hotel has a bar, a swimming pool with underwater music system and spacious waiting area to cater to local and foreign guests. |
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