Tourism weathers Cyclone Ditwah, remains 75% operational

THASL President Asoka Hettigoda calls for rapid recovery support from insurance companies, banks Asserts recovery assistance should prioritise SLTDAregistered establishments than extending blanket support to unregistered operators Calls for immediate implementation of visa-free scheme for 47 countries under emergency provisions and requests to temporarily import vegetables, as supply of fresh produce has dropped sharply Commends Govt.'s swift interventions so far, including free-visa extensions granted to tourists whose visas expired, full fee waivers offered to airlines for cancellations and date changes Seeks greater assistance from Finance Ministry to expedite insurance claims, banks to extend financial facilities

- BY CHARUMINI DE SILVA

THE Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) President Asoka Hettigoda yesterday affirmed the tourism industry remains largely resilient despite the disruptions caused by Cyclone Ditwah, with roughly 75% of hotel operations across the country functioning normally.

"Hotels in Colombo City, the South, deep South and Pasikudah continue to operate with minimal impact, while access roads to Nuwara Eliya are now being cleared for light vehicular movement," he told the Daily FT.

Hettigoda noted, however, that Kandy and parts of the Cultural Triangle remain the most affected, with power outages, drinking water shortages and communication difficulties still posing challenges to tourism businesses. "We are hopeful that authorities will swiftly restore access, utilities and essential services in these destinations," he said, stressing that Sri Lanka is still ready to welcome visitors from around the world during the winter season.