Sri Lankans have urged foreign tourists not to cancel travel plans as the South Asian island battles power cuts linked to soaring fuel prices and a foreign currency crisis.
A three-day curfew was imposed by the government from Saturday as protests against food and fuel shortages were held.
“The current situation is affecting the tourism industry in our country,” Theekshana Lankadhikara, 40, a cookery teacher from Ella, told The National by phone.
“We are just trying to recover from the horrifying pandemic and now the hours-long power cuts and gasoline scarcity is making tourists think twice about visiting our country.
We are just trying to recover from the horrifying pandemic and now the hours-long power cuts and gasoline scarcity is making tourists think twice about visiting our country
Theekshana Lankadhikara,
cookery teacher
“Tourists are the only option we have to earn some good foreign currency these days.
“We try so hard to be friendly and welcoming to our guests so they will go home and recommend Sri Lanka as a place to visit to others."
The country is in the grips of its worst economic downturn in decades, sparked by a lack of foreign currency to pay for essential imports.
Sri Lanka was hit hard by terrorist bombings on churches and hotels in Easter 2019 — the same year it was ranked the world's number one travel destination by Lonely Planet — and by the coronavirus pandemic.
The island welcomed 194,000 foreign tourists in 2021, down from 1.9 million in 2019 and 2.3 million in 2018.
A catastrophic oil spill in 2021, when the X-Press Pearl sank off the coast of Colombo, caused an environmental disaster. Chemicals and tiny plastic pellets called nurdles continue to wash up on the island's famous beaches.
The broader downturn led to an import ban on foreign goods in a bid to save foreign currency needed to service the country's billions of dollars in foreign debt.
As fuel resources diminish, electricity rationing continues to be enforced and the cost of living rises, the shortages have sparked power cuts.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa invoked laws that allow the military to arrest and detain protesters without warrants. He said the state of emergency was necessary to protect public order and maintain essential supplies and services.
While the majority of protests are taking place around Colombo, other areas of the country are experiencing daily blackouts.
Frustrated with his government, Lahiru, a safari guide for Udawalawe National Park, said he is relying on custom and tips from tourists to survive. He did not want to give his full name.
“Only rich people can live in Sri Lanka now,” he told The National.
“Poor people are suffering because of the government. The government‘s management is so poor and the cost of living is so crazy.
“Right now, I feel like I want to live away from my home country.”
Lahiru said carrying out basic tasks like "shopping for groceries" and filling his car with petrol was crippling his finances.
Last month, the prices of a number of essential items in the country increased dramatically after the central bank allowed the its rupee (LKR) to devalue.
The cost of basic items such as bread, rice and flour increased, in some cases, more than four-fold.
Tourists caught up in nationwide curfew
The government on Saturday evening imposed the nationwide curfew and blocked users from social media sites.
Laura Channer, a school counsellor in Dubai, last week arrived for a holiday in Sri Lanka.
She said it was evident that locals are desperate to see more tourists as it is a sure source of income for them.
“We have been to Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Udawalawe and we’re now Hikkaduwa,” she said.
“The major differences we have experienced in comparison to our previous Sri Lanka trip in December 2019 have been the regular long power cuts, increase in prices for basic goods, long queues for fuel and the desperation of the locals.
“They are in need of our tourism right now. They are polite, there’s no unrest where we have been but you can tell they are desperate for your business to make ends meet.”
The 29-year-old said hotels have been quiet but are "functioning relatively normally", apart from the power cuts.
“We have been staying in budget to mid-range places that haven’t always had the luxury of a generator, though.”
Caroline Rothwell, a resident in Dubai, is on a short break in Sri Lanka with her partner and has been staying in a small boutique hotel in Unawantuna, a town south of the capital.
“The power cuts out sometimes but we have got a SIM card so we do not need to use the Wi-Fi,” she said.
“There was one day that I couldn’t use the hairdryer but who cares when you are on holiday?
“Yesterday the curfew was announced. We were in Galle town at night and not many places were open as a result.
“The bigger places have generators, so you don’t notice [the blackouts] that much and it is incredible how the chefs work by candlelight and use gas to cook. They’re struggling but managing for now.”
The biog
Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah
Date of birth: 15 November, 1951
Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”
Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
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%3Cp%3EFly%20with%20Etihad%20Airways%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi%20to%20New%20York%E2%80%99s%20JFK.%20There's%2011%20flights%20a%20week%20and%20economy%20fares%20start%20at%20around%20Dh5%2C000.%3Cbr%3EStay%20at%20The%20Mark%20Hotel%20on%20the%20city%E2%80%99s%20Upper%20East%20Side.%20Overnight%20stays%20start%20from%20%241395%20per%20night.%3Cbr%3EVisit%20NYC%20Go%2C%20the%20official%20destination%20resource%20for%20New%20York%20City%20for%20all%20the%20latest%20events%2C%20activites%20and%20openings.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
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Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
