BENTOTA, SRI LANKA/COLOMBO - Sri Lanka's US$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.
"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." "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."
Decisive policy and security measures will be important to revive the industry and support economic growth, the International Monetary Fund has said.In Bentota, one of a string of beach resorts south of Colombo, occupancy rates have plummeted, according to interviews with hotel managers.