Clean Sri Lanka is a lost golden opportunity for tourism, according to Jetwing Hotels Chairman Hiran Cooray, who believes the initiative could have transformed the country’s global image while strengthening its competitiveness as a premium travel destination.
Clean Sri Lanka is a lost golden opportunity for tourism, says Jetwing Hotels Chairman
Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with Mirror Business, Cooray said Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is recovering from years of unprecedented challenges but warned that structural reforms remain essential if the country is to attract higher-spending visitors, improve investor confidence and sustain long-term growth.
He described the current industry outlook as one of cautious optimism. Following disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions, rising fuel prices and regional conflicts, Cooray said improving global conditions are beginning to restore traveller confidence. With oil prices easing and flight activity normalising, he expects international travel demand to strengthen in the coming months.
Jetwing Hotels experienced a strong start to the year, with occupancy levels averaging close to 90 percent during January and February. However, Heshan Cooray, Director of Marketing and Development at Jetwing Hotels, said the momentum was interrupted by the Middle East conflict, which resulted in a wave of flight cancellations and last-minute booking withdrawals.
Despite March occupancy falling to around 65 percent, the company remains optimistic about the second half of the year, with bookings expected to improve from July onwards, although travellers are now making reservations much closer to their departure dates.
Addressing Sri Lanka’s visitor profile, Hiran Cooray rejected suggestions that the country has permanently shifted away from traditional long-haul markets. While India continues to be the largest source market because of its proximity, he noted that the United Kingdom remains the second-largest market and continues to generate high-value visitors who stay longer and spend more.
He stressed that Sri Lanka tourism should continue targeting premium travellers from Europe, Australia and North America instead of relying heavily on lower-spending visitor segments. According to Cooray, destination marketing should focus on showcasing the country’s luxury resorts, beaches, cultural attractions and tea estates to enhance Sri Lanka’s global brand positioning.
Cooray also voiced strong opposition to offering government incentives for charter flight operators, arguing that efforts should instead focus on attracting established scheduled airlines such as Lufthansa, Air France and KLM. He believes the presence of premium international carriers strengthens Sri Lanka’s image and naturally attracts higher-spending travellers without the need for subsidies.
One of the strongest criticisms during the interview centred on the government’s flagship cleanliness campaign. Clean Sri Lanka is a lost golden opportunity for tourism, Cooray said, arguing that the initiative failed to deliver the structural transformation initially promised.
He said the programme should have gone beyond environmental cleanliness to include stronger governance, regulatory enforcement and greater transparency for businesses. As an example, he suggested transforming Negombo into a model tourism city through cleaner public spaces, better beach management and stricter zoning regulations before replicating the approach nationwide.
The Jetwing Chairman also highlighted the challenges faced by compliant hotel operators, citing lengthy approval processes, increasing taxes and an uneven playing field between registered businesses and informal tourism operators. He argued that excessive bureaucracy discourages investment while compliant businesses bear significantly higher regulatory costs than unregistered operators.
Despite these challenges, Jetwing Hotels continues to invest for the future. The company plans to resume construction of a long-delayed 112-unit beachfront condominium project in Negombo after years of postponement due to the Easter Sunday attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis.
The group is also pursuing a strategy of restoring historic homes across Jaffna, Galle, Negombo and Kosgoda, converting heritage properties into boutique accommodation that preserves Sri Lanka’s architectural legacy while creating premium tourism experiences.
Looking further ahead, Jetwing intends to delay major development in Trincomalee until key highway infrastructure improves connectivity to the East Coast, allowing tourists to travel more easily between Kandy, the Cultural Triangle and eastern beaches.
On workforce development, Cooray acknowledged that skilled migration remains one of the industry’s biggest challenges. However, he views overseas employment as an opportunity for hospitality professionals to gain international experience before returning to strengthen the local industry. Continuous vocational training, particularly among rural youth, remains central to the company’s long-term human resource strategy.
As Clean Sri Lanka is a lost golden opportunity for tourism continues to spark debate, Cooray believes Sri Lanka still possesses the natural assets, hospitality expertise and international appeal needed to position itself as a premium global destination—provided that policy reforms, infrastructure improvements and destination branding receive sustained attention.