The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has reinstated its advice for all essential travel to Sri Lanka.
The warning came as a severe economic crisis currently hit the island nation.
The FCDO website states: “Sri Lanka is going through a severe economic crisis, resulting in shortages of basic necessities including medicines, cooking gas, fuel and food. There is a severe shortage of fuel (diesel and petrol) affecting transport, businesses and emergency services. Due to restrictions Power cuts every day.
“This has led to protests and violent riots. Further protests, demonstrations, barricades and violent riots may occur within a short period of time.”
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe described his country as “bankrupt” in a speech to parliament today, while Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said on Sunday the country had less than a day’s worth of fuel left.
The current warning follows a series of violent clashes and protests on May 16 over the national economic crisis. The warning was lifted on June 10, with Sri Lankan tourism experts saying the island, which was first hit hard by pandemic travel disruptions and the current economic crisis, would welcome tourism.
The tourism industry has been taken by surprise by the latest announcement, which threatens to void the travel insurance policies of Britons who continue to travel to Sri Lanka.
Tour package company Tui has canceled all Sri Lankan holidays up to and including 18 July 2022.
In a statement released today, Tui said: “We will be proactively contacting all affected customers prior to their departure date to discuss their options. Please note that this advice does not apply to customers transiting through Sri Lanka International Airport and currently at the resort. Customers can continue to enjoy their holidays as planned.”We will continue to monitor the situation and will notify customers of any further updates. “
Sam Clark, founder of Experience Travel Group, said that while many customers who were about to travel to Sri Lanka chose to postpone their holidays or cancel and get a full refund, there were still some who decided to travel despite the FCDO warning.
Experience Travel Group is advising customers already in Sri Lanka to continue their holidays and said the company was getting enough fuel for its vehicles because of the Sri Lankan government’s policy of prioritizing tourism to keep revenue flowing into the country. Clark said the protests were localized peaceful.
The UK is an important market for Sri Lankan tourism, with nearly 200,000 British tourists visiting the island in 2019. That number dropped to just over 55,000 in 2020 due to pandemic-related travel restrictions.
“British tourists tend to travel around the country and get a good deal of money, so (tourism) does have a positive impact on the country as a whole,” Clarke said.
“If the warning is lifted relatively quickly, it may have relatively limited impact,” he said, although the longer it wears out during the busy summer season, it could “have a huge impact on people’s livelihoods and even Sri Lanka’s ability to make a large impact”. The Lankan government will purchase more fuel and supplies in the future. “
The FCDO warning does not apply to airside transit through Sri Lanka International Airport.
