ISri Lanka iyabuza: Bayaphi bonke abavakashi?

Isamba senani lezivakashi njengoba lirekhodwe umnyango we-Emigration futhi lanyatheliswa yi-Sri Lanka Tourist Development Authority (SLTDA) ngo-2016 lalingu-2,050,832. I-Foreign Guest Nights (FGN) emahhotela avamile ekilasi lenkanyezi yango-2016 ibingu-1,595,118 ngokusho kwe-SLDA, futhi ukuhlala okumaphakathi kwesivakashi ngasinye ezweni bekuyizinsuku eziyi-10.2. Ngakho-ke, ngokuhlukanisa i-FGN ngokwesilinganiso sokuhlala, ingqikithi yenani lezivakashi ezihlala emahhotela avamile litholwa.

Lokhu kuveza ukuthi izivakashi “zangempela” ezihlala emahhotela asezingeni (ejwayelekile) eSri Lanka zingu-1,025,416, okungama-50% kuphela wabantu abafikayo.

Isamba se-FGN esikhiqizwe umkhakha wokuchibiyela wezi-2016 yizi-5,404,602. Njengangaphambili, ukuhlukanisa lokhu ngesilinganiso sokuhlala okungu-10.2 kukhombisa ukuthi izivakashi ezingaba ngu-529,863 zihlale kulezi zikhungo zokungezelela, okungama-26% abo bonke abafikayo.

Ibhalansi engu-24% "isici sokuvuza" esingabaliwe. Lokhu kuvuza kungaba ezinye zezivakashi ezingahlali emahhotela, njenge-diaspora element. Enye ingxenye yalokhu kuvuza izivakashi ezihlala emkhakheni ongabhalisiwe ongabhalisiwe. Lezi isibalo esikhulu sezindawo zokulala nesidlo sasekuseni ezingabhalisiwe ezingabhalisiwe eziqubuke kuwo wonke amadolobha ezivakashi adumile kumjikelezo wokuya nokubuya,” izibalo zawo ezingabanjwanga kumarekhodi e-SLTDA.

Lokhu kungaba yisizathu sokuthi amahhotela asezingeni eliphezulu aqhubeke nokuzabalaza ukuze agcine amazinga aphezulu okuhlala kanye nesivuno, naphezu kwamanani afikayo akhombisa ukwenyuka okukhulu.

Ekuxoxisaneni ngalokhu nabanye ozakwethu abambalwa bemboni, ukuvumelana okujwayelekile kwaba ukuthi ngenxa yezilinganiso ezingaba kwezinye zezibalo ze-STDA, inombolo yangempela yokwamukela amahhotela avamile ingaba ngaphansi ngisho nangaphansi kwama-50%.

Umbhali walesi sihloko, u-Srilal Miththapala, unguMongameli Odlule we-The Hotels Association yaseSri Lanka, futhi uhlaziye izibalo zokufika kwezivakashi ukuze aqhamuke neziphetho ezishiwo ngenhla.