Sri Lanka tourist arrivals down by 31.4% in August 2008

Sri Lanka tourist arrivals down by 31.4% in August 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008, 11:52 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Sept 22, Colombo: Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Chairman Renton de Alwis today reported that tourist arrivals for the month of August 2008 has decreased by 31.4% compared to last year.

According to the Chairman August arrivals have gone down to 30,672. “During the first 8 months of this year we have only received 288,017 foreign tourists which also a decline of 8.2% compared to last year,” he revealed.

However, with the winter season just around the corner, Sri Lanka expects an increase in foreign tourist arrivals. -end:

The new Minister of Tourism the UNP Pole Vaulter Milinda Moragoda is exasperated as all his efforts to promote tourism has failed miserably. The latest gimmick of the Minister is to send the new Chief Minister for the Easten Province Podiyan Pillaiyan"
to Tokyo on a tourist promotion trip. Critics and cynics laugh (lol), at the Minister and Chief Minister who is trying to promote worldwide tourism to the the East with NO hotels available in Batticaloa or Amparai district which has been destroyed by the 25 year war, and 2004 Tsunami. Even some hotels on the beach front in Trincomalee has been destroyed by the Tsunami and remains unbuilt.

There is no air transportation to the 3 major domestic airports in the Eastern Province since the civil war, and the air force turning the airports into military installations including the 2 airports in Pallaly and Vavuniya. The road transport is either impossible or too dangerous given the Tamil Para Military groups operating with the assistance and cooperation of the military, STF and the Police. This is another demonstration the Sinhala fools putting the cart before the horse. (Gonnas)or
Booruahs. Morons could be too harsh a word to be used yet.

Above all they need to understand without suing for peace with the liberation organization the LTTE which is neither proscribed nor banned in Sri Lanka since 2002, there cannot be a semblance of prosperity.
The sooner the Goonas realize it the better for the country and everybody that inhabits the Island. The majority's will cannot be unilaterally imposed on the Tamil minority or even the Muslims and the burgers, majority of them have fled beginning from 1956. The Sinhala only policy made many minorities to flee to foreign countries from 1956, as well as the May 27th race riots when the Sinhala hoodlums and thugs, burnt and destroyed buildings, homes, and vehicles. They also raped, killed, burnt innocent Tamil civilians. in an inhuman manner. -Tamils For Justice: