Dear Minister Vijitha Herath,
Let me tell you a tale.
It is an ancient belief that Adam was the first human on Earth, and he was sent down by God because he disobeyed His command. While Adam asked for forgiveness, some believe that God also wanted him to begin humanity on Earth. Although Adam was shocked, God decided to send him to a place that had the closest resemblance to Heaven. He informed Adam that while His decision to remove him from Paradise would not change, He would send him to a place called Heaven on Earth.
Thus, it is believed that Adam was sent to Sri Lanka. His first footstep on Earth was in ‘Serendib’, which is what Sri Lanka was known as in the ancient era.
This story is written in many Arabian tales, and even today it is a belief of many that Adam was ‘born’ in Sri Lanka. For us Sri Lankans, it is a matter of pride to hear foreigners say this — because God himself identified Sri Lanka as a place resembling Paradise.
For years we have been known as the Jewel in the Indian Ocean, the pearl shaped like a teardrop with unique opportunities and naturally blessed beauty. From beaches to rivers and lakes to heavenly mountains, Sri Lanka offers it all. From the unbearable heat in the south to the chilling cold in the central hills, it is very rare to find a country that offers such diversity. In addition to the natural beauty, Sri Lankans are well known for their hospitality and warmth, which only adds to the value of the destination.
But has this beauty that we call home been promoted to its best potential in the global market? The answer, unfortunately, is a staggering “No.”
Sri Lanka’s tourist arrival rate remains at an average of only around 2 million arrivals per year. Last year, Sri Lanka’s tourism target was 2.3 million, yet we ended with 2.05 million. This year, the government set a target of 3 million tourists but later revised it downward. As of now, the numbers clearly indicate that we will fail to achieve even the revised target.
So when even God described Sri Lanka as a resemblance of Heaven, why are we so far behind? Sri Lanka has always maintained a very mediocre promotion campaign in all markets. A senior diplomat told me just last evening that promotional strategies must be customized for individual markets because every market has a different requirement. In the Middle East, for example, Sri Lanka can tell a completely different story than what we highlight in Europe or the West.
And while these campaigns are ongoing, do we actually offer our tourists the most unique experience when they arrive? Our Bandaranaike International Airport is utter chaos, struggling to cope with incoming passengers. Our duty-free is a lame excuse, with only a few employees coaxing visitors to enter their shops. Unfortunately, our BIA puts to shame the saying the first impression is the best impression. For years we have been trying to upgrade and develop our main airport, but this has yet to truly take off. Meanwhile, our airports in Mattala and Jaffna are just gathering dust.
Colombo city too does not have much to offer a traveler. We do not have any of the globally sought-after brands in our malls, and public transportation within the city is minimal. I often boast that if I ever become the Minister of Tourism, I would first clean up the lakes and canals in the city and convert them into tourist attractions — offering romantic boat rides and scenic lake tours across Colombo. Yet for years, we have been trying to eliminate the stench emanating from our waters, and we are still stuck at that.
Sri Lanka is an island, and we could easily start cruise ship tours around our coastline. A seven-night stay would be ideal. This idea was in fact proposed by a diplomat to the government, but he was brushed aside with excuses — claiming we have endless problems and our neighbors would not like it. Once again, just problems with no solutions.
I have much more to write, but I am sure our experts in the tourism industry would have more to contribute. In fact, I call upon all to write to the Daily Mirror so that we can collectively help the government to achieve its tourism targets. This column is not one of complaint, but one of solutions — because despite all our political differences, it is time we unite and assist the government in promoting this country as God’s chosen Heaven on Earth.
Yours Truly,
Jamila Husain
Editor-in-Chief
daily mirror
