A Brief History of Sri Lanka Tour Operators
As the Founder of Rainbow Tours has been involved in local tourism since the start of package holidays on the island in the mid-1970s, we are better placed than almost anyone else still active in tourism here to comment on Sri Lanka Tour Operators in this still quite new industry, which has now grown into one of this Nation’s top foreign exchange revenue earners.
In those days with limited beach resort hotels there were just a few public companies working as Travel Agents handling the inbound tourism generated by international tour operators and airlines. Then tragically the civil war struck and lasted some 30 years, during which time the island inevitably fell from interest as a tourism destination and indeed it is a miracle that the industry survived at all!
Sri Lanka Tour Operators When the War Ended
Once the fighting ceased in 2009, the island’s many & diverse attractions received international publicity and as by then the travelling public had already reached saturation point with existing exotic SE Asian destinations, Sri Lanka was ready for “lift off”! Since then and with the traditional local economy stalling large numbers of people drifted into “tourism” without much officially organised training or instruction. Added to this, online tourism quickly overtook the local market and many newly arrived ex-taxi drivers and hospitality industry personnel set up as “Sri Lanka Tour Operators” based at home to keep costs down rather than as traditional Travel Agencies with public offices. Indeed, anyone who had a suitable tourism vehicle or could get a car loan soon realized that with a few words of a foreign language a living could be made in the lucrative tourism industry without official qualifications or training of any sort. So, contemporary tourism here now consists of a few professional public companies handling inbound groups and a large number of Tour Operators in Sri Lanka “websites”. Of course, many are learning the trade through experience and do a reasonable job at looking after clients, but with no training in international industry practice, the results are a bit “hit & miss” and in all too many cases visitors are left disappointed and unlikely to return or recommend the destination. Gradually, the authorities are trying to register & regulate those practicing in all aspects of tourism, but quality training at professional international standards is still some way off.
Sri Lanka Tour Operators and Rainbow Tours Sri Lanka
At Rainbow Tours, our team benefits from 40 years of both local and international experience as well as training in the detailed mechanics of tour operating so that we deliver a professional product that satisfies our guests and encourages them to return and recommend us to their friends. As our top quality reviews on many forums clearly show, you can book Rainbow Tours with confidence knowing that we are indeed an experienced and qualified “Sri Lanka Tour Operator ”!
More related details can be found here: Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority >>
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