Tourism has suffered as tourists from around the world cancelled hotel and flight bookings fearing more attacks.
BENTOTA, Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka's $4.4-billion tourism industry is reeling from cancellations as travellers shun the sun and sand Indian Ocean island after multiple suicide bombings that killed over 250 people two weeks ago.
Tourism, which accounts for 5 percent of the country's gross domestic product, has suffered as tourists from around the world cancelled hotel and flight bookings fearing more attacks. "It's a big blow to the economy, as well as the tourism industry," Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said in an interview on Saturday."For the economy to develop, it's important tourism return to where it was before the attacks."
Net hotel bookings dropped a staggering 186 percent on average over the week following the attacks compared to the same period last year, data from travel consultancy ForwardKeys showed. A decline of more than one hundred percent indicates more cancellations than bookings.Cancellation rates at hotels across the country averaged 70 percent as of Saturday, with the capital Colombo taking a bigger hit, Sri Lanka's Tourism Bureau Chairman Kishu Gomes told Reuters.
"Some airlines have also discontinued frequency of flights. Load factor is much lower than it used to be," Gomes said."It is a worrying factor for sure."In Bentota, one of a string of beach resorts south of Colombo, occupancy rates have plummeted, according to interviews with hotel managers.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Deserted beaches, empty rooms: Sri Lankan tourism takes a hit after bombingsNet hotel bookings fell 186% on average over the week following the attacks on churches and hotels on Easter Sunday
Read more »
Sri Lanka secures schools before their Monday reopeningGovernment has expelled more than 600 foreigners, including about 200 Islamic clerics, after Islamic State attacks
Read more »
Church calls for calm after Christian, Muslim clashes in Sri LankaVideos circulated on social media showed mobs throwing stones at Muslim businesses, destroyed furniture inside homes, shattered windows and overturned vehicles.
Read more »
Church calls for calm after Sri Lanka clashesA few hundred extra troops and police were deployed late Sunday as authorities imposed a night-time curfew in the town.
Read more »
Sri Lanka to air Sunday mass on TV as attack threat persistsSri Lanka's Catholic Church will televise a private Sunday mass after cancelling regular services over fears of a repeat of Easter's suicide bombings.
Read more »
Sri Lanka expels 200 Islamic clerics after Easter attacksSri Lanka has imposed a state of emergency since the attacks and given wide powers to troops and police to arrest and detain suspects for long periods.
Read more »
Sri Lanka attack mastermind used chatrooms to sway suicide bombersWhile Sri Lanka Easter suicide attacks mastermind Zahran Hashim used social media to publicly call for the death of non-Muslims, he worked for months in private chatrooms to persuade six young men to sacrifice themselves, Muslim community leaders say.
Read more »
Leave my country alone, Sri Lanka president tells Islamic StateSri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said a foreign mastermind may have planned the Easter Sunday bombings, claimed by Islamic State, telling the militant group to 'leave my country alone'.
Read more »
Catholics in Sri Lanka cancel Sunday mass over new bomb fearsSri Lanka's Roman Catholic Church received information of two possible attacks against churches, and has called off mass on May 5.
Read more »
Sri Lanka mass cancelled over 'specific attack threat'Sri Lanka’s Catholic Church has cancelled plans to resume Sunday services following a “specific threat” of fresh bomb attacks against at least two places of worship, a spokesman said.
Read more »
Sri Lanka attacks death toll rises to 257The government had given a toll of more than 350 but brought this down last week, blaming double counting of bodies that were badly mutilated in the six blasts.
Read more »