From Colombo, Catherine Lebouille, director of the local agency Mai Globe Travel, member of the Nomadays collective, shares her account of her professional daily life and the tourism situation in Sri Lanka at the time of coronavirus.
"I remain positive because the desire for escape and discovery will always be there, but this health crisis will reshape our activity in the long term"
"Sri Lanka decided to close its borders to Europeans on March 13 (effective March 15). Since that day, we have worked tirelessly to assist all our clients on tour, and welcome those arriving as best we could.
From then on, each new day brought its share of surprises. First national parks and gardens were closed to the public, then certain activities could no longer take place; it then became risky to travel in the hinterland, the local population having become hostile towards foreigners. From a national perspective, the government also changed the rules almost daily, and from March 20 onwards, it became impossible to travel, with a curfew imposed across the entire territory.
With nearly 25 groups traveling throughout the island, my team and I had to face many adaptations to ensure the safety of our clients. The priority was to ensure the return of all our travelers, and for some an early return, as local conditions were becoming too complicated, combined with the increasing cancellation of flights from Colombo to Europe.
The constant presence and assistance of our team, day and night, by email and phone, was a reassuring element for our travelers in these such difficult and unpredictable times. Furthermore, we have relationships with our service providers that allow us to obtain cancellations without fees, and our presence on the ground allows us to react instantly and modify itineraries (transport, hotel, etc).
As for the future, it is obviously uncertain. When can we hope for a recovery? I remain positive, because the desire for escape and discovery will always be there. This health crisis will reshape our activity in the long term. We hope to welcome our travelers from June onwards, and if we have to wait longer, in July.
A country like Sri Lanka is greatly dependent on tourism; this sector represents the primary source of income. Furthermore, we work with a multitude of service providers, for whom the arrival of tourists is essential. It is very difficult to see them close their accommodation, stop their activities, or for all our drivers who remain at home waiting for a better day. But we know that our vigilance today will bear fruit for the future, so let's be patient!"
