SLTB hotels, restaurants taken to task

by Chanuka Mannapperuma

The new Tourism Minister, Milinda Moragoda along with his Deputy Faizer Muztapha paid surprise visits to hotels and restaurants approved by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board (SLTB).

The Deputy Minister, told the 'Sunday Observer', yesterday that they have already visited some of SLTB approved hotels in Colombo to check the hygienic conditions and lamented that the standards were far below expectations.

"We warned them and gave two-months to maintain hygienic standards. "We will monitor their services during this period and anyone found guilty will be penalised and the SLTB licence will be cancelled" he said.

He said," When we talk about the tourism sector, we should plan to attract regional tourism to offset the decline in the western market in the face of travel advisories issued by Japan, Australia, United States, France and several other European countries."

There are plans to improve revenue. Every sector of travel and tourism should work as a team to generate income for the country, he said.