Tourism Minister Harin Fernando told BBC Television that considering the current prices of gas and fuel in Europe, spending the winter season in Sri Lanka is far better and cheaper than living in Europe.
He said this in an interview with the BBC while participating in the World Travel Market & Tourism Exhibition that started yesterday (07) in London.
The Minister pointed out that there is currently no problem with fuel in Sri Lanka. He also said that a program of providing fuel permits to tourists at the airport has been started. This will enable them to now enjoy the beauty of Sri Lanka without any hindrances.
Sri Lanka is a resilient nation. Tourism is a major foreign exchange earner. Value for money for tourists visiting Sri Lanka will help us to recover from the current economic crisis.”
“Hospitality in Sri Lanka is not dead because of high inflation. Our people are hospitable and look forward to welcoming tourists with broad smiles. Visiting Sri Lanka in the winter is cheaper than paying gas prices in Europe. A quality vacation in Sri Lanka is far cheaper for Europeans than spending time in Europe,” he said.
Answering the question by the BBC journalist about whether Sri Lanka has higher prices for tourist products compared to other competing countries, Harin Fernando said that Sri Lanka cannot be compared to the Bali market of Thailand or Indonesia. He pointed out that Sri Lanka has tourism products aimed at all levels of tourists and that they can freely visit Sri Lanka according to their liking.
