Strife-torn countries set out strategies to bring back tourists

Dubai: Faiszer Musthapha has an unenviable job. As Sri Lanka's deputy minister for tourism he is charged with turning attention away from the Northern offensive on Tamil Tiger rebels and towards hotels and resorts.

Despite relatively modest visitor figures, around four to five million since the 1983 when the conflict began, growth in recent years has been encouraging, says Musthapha, and he is resolutely optimistic about the island nation's prospects as a tourist destination of choice.

With the government having "caged the tiger", he believes Sri Lanka is poised to finally join the success of its neighbours Thailand and Malaysia, as his department markets the country as a value for money choice in the midst of a worldwide recession, and focuses on Middle Eastern customers.

"We have had year-on-year growth for the last two years of 30 per cent in the Middle East market," he said, referring to footfall. "I think the global crisis will be a positive factor for Sri Lanka because Sri Lanka is a value for money destination."

Rebranded as 'a small miracle', Sir Lanka faces serious challenges in attracting tourists other than the intrepid. In light of the government's stepped-up offensive on the rebels so far this year, the first quarter of 2009 saw a 20 per cent decline in the number of visitors. 2008 saw 450,000 tourists landing on the island. "It's a very modest figure," admitted Musthapha. "If not for the conflict situation, it would have surpassed a million a long time back."

The country's current infrastructure can accommodate 700,000 visitors per year, he added.

Other nations however, well-known as top tourist destinations, have faced challenges also such as political and social strife.

Last November's protests in Thailand, which temporarily paralysed Bangkok airport, hit the South East Asian nation's tourism industry hard. But officials say the effects were soon overcome."Most of the tourists who are staying there are aware that they are not being targeted," said Juthaporn Rerngronasa, deputy governor for marketing communications at the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

She added that following the November crisis, operations at the airport were back to normal by February this year, with 30,000 travellers moving through the airport per day. The effects are likely to have decreased visitor numbers to Thailand by between 20 and 30 per cent for the first quarter of this year.

As a popular tourist destination, South Africa too has faced internal strife, the coverage of which could risk putting off potential visitors.

In May last year, xenophobic attacks on Zimbabwean immigrants received global coverage, and high crime rates in the nation's cities could also be a concern.

Agnes Nyamande-Pitso, Consul-General for South Africa in Dubai, however, said perceptions versus the actual situation on the ground for visitors were sometimes misleading.

"It's only when you go there you realize things have always been blown out of proportion," she said. "It's like me reading about something happening in London with the youth in such-and-such a place. That doesn't stop me from going there."

"We promote South Africa as is, just as any other country does, and try to project the positives," she added. Hosting major sporting tournaments is paying off for South Africa, continued Nyamande-Pitso, with the last minute IPL cricket and next year's Football World Cup recently added to the list.