Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08COLOMBO120, SRI LANKA: TOURISM DOWN 12% IN 2007; COULD HAVE BEEN

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08COLOMBO120.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08COLOMBO120 2008-01-31 10:54 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Colombo
VZCZCXRO6029
RR RUEHLMC
DE RUEHLM #0120/01 0311054
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 311054Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7635
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1814
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0725
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 7714
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 5895
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 8319
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2607
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000120 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETRD EFIN PTER CE
SUBJECT:  SRI LANKA: TOURISM DOWN 12% IN 2007; COULD HAVE BEEN 
WORSE 
 
Ref:  A) 07 COLOMBO 1313  B) COLOMBO 47 
 
1.  Summary:  The escalating ethnic conflict continues to hurt the 
Sri Lankan tourism industry, which experienced a 12% decrease in 
visitors in 2007 compared to 2006.  Industry representatives have 
mixed assessments of the possible impact of the recent escalation of 
violence and the consequent bad publicity and travel warnings issued 
by several countries.  Some, encouraged that there were 56% more 
visitors in December 2007 than in December 2006, expect those strong 
tourist numbers to continue into spring 2008.  Others are less 
optimistic, pointing to a spate of cancellations since the 
government abrogated the Ceasefire Agreement on January 2.  The 
government and private sector have undertaken new efforts to attract 
visitors from India, Russia, East Asia, and the Middle East in place 
of the traditional European market.  Peace, however, remains the key 
factor for Sri Lanka to reap the full potential of its tourist 
industry.  End Summary. 
 
TOURISM REMAINS A VITAL SECTOR: FIFTH LARGEST 
FOREX EARNER; MAJOR EMPLOYER 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
2.  Tourism accounts for about two percent of Sri Lanka's gross 
domestic product.  The sector is a key contributor to foreign 
exchange earnings after apparel, remittances, tea and rubber. 
Income generated from tourism was $400 million in 2006, but is 
expected to fall to about $360 million in 2007.  Sri Lanka's hotels 
employ 56,000 people.  The indirect contribution of tourism to the 
economy is also significant.  The industry estimates that as many as 
900,000 Sri Lankans (of a population of 20 million) are in some way 
dependent on tourism.  They range from tourist hotel employees to 
shop owners, taxi drivers, handicraft producers, and their families. 
 
 
2007: A SHARP DECLINE FOLLOWED BY A STRONG RECOVERY 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
3.  The Sri Lankan tourist industry suffered a downturn in 2007 as 
the country's ethnic conflict escalated.  Tourist arrivals declined 
11.7% in 2007, to a total of 494,000 as compared to 560,000 in 2006. 
 A breakdown of the numbers showed that, through September 2007, 
visitors were down 21%.  The final quarter of 2007, however, 
recovered strongly, with tourist arrivals up by 56% in December as 
compared to the same month in 2006.  The favorable December numbers 
were generated by a combination of traditional European winter high 
season crowds, including many visitors from Eastern Europe and 
Russia; and special events like the three-week tour of the British 
cricket team with its many loyal spectators (the "Barmy Army") in 
tow. 
 
2008: INDUSTRY OUTLOOK IS MIXED 
------------------------------- 
 
4.  Hoteliers speaking to the press conveyed confidence that, from 
January to March 2008 at least, December's high rate of arrivals 
would continue.  They noted hotel reservations were high amidst 
planned events such as the annual Borah convention (an 11-day 
spiritual event expected to bring in 8,000 members of this 
India-based Muslim sect), and cultural events like the Galle 
Literary Festival and the Pearl Fishers opera.  A board member of 
the Sri Lanka Hotel Association told Econoff, however, that this 
confidence was premature, as tour operators had cancelled over five 
percent of hotel reservations for the January to March 2008 time 
frame since abrogation of the Cease Fire Agreement on January 2, 
2008. 
 
5.  According to the Association, no hotels are likely to go out of 
business due to the poor tourism turnout.  Nor have hotels been 
forced to cut room rates.  In fact, in December 2007, hotels in 
Colombo adopted a rate policy that raised their minimum room rates 
by almost 30% to boost revenues and raise staff wages. 
Nevertheless, the country's two largest resort owners, John Keells 
Holdings and Aitken Spence Group, are depending on their new hotels 
in Maldives and southern India to enable them to break even in their 
tourism businesses overall. 
 
PROMOTING SRI LANKA IN NEW MARKETS 
---------------------------------- 
 
6.  The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, re-established by 
the new Tourism Act implemented in October 2007 (ref A), is focused 
 
COLOMBO 00000120  002 OF 002 
 
 
on promoting Sri Lanka in India, Russia, and the Middle East, as 
well as in new markets China, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.  The 
Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau has begun to shift resources away 
from its traditional markets in the UK, Germany and France, as 
tourists from these and other European countries dropped sharply due 
to new advisories discouraging travel to Sri Lanka.  Currently, 
governments of these countries advise their citizens against travel 
to north and east as well as to Yala National Park in the Southern 
Province.  They have also warned about terrorist attacks and 
violence in other parts of the country including capital Colombo. 
 
7.  For India (which, despite a 17% decline since 2006, remained Sri 
Lanka's top market in 2007 with 106,000 arrivals), the industry is 
trying to promote Sri Lanka as both a cultural and a meetings and 
conventions destination. 
Hoping to capture tourists from the Middle East and Eastern Europe, 
Sri Lanka Tourism plans to hire public relations and marketing 
personnel in Dubai and Moscow.  Sri Lanka Tourism is also teaming up 
with the private sector to create discount tourist packages and 
airline promotion events, as well as inviting journalists to visit 
Sri Lanka. 
 
8.  The impending pullout of Emirates Airlines' management of Sri 
Lankan airlines (ref B) is not expected to have a drastic impact on 
tourist arrivals, according to a Sri Lanka Hotels Association 
official, because the two airlines say they will continue to run 
code shares and coordinate their routes. 
 
COMMENT: IN PEACE LIES POTENTIAL 
-------------------------------- 
 
9.  As the following chart indicates, Sri Lanka's annual tourist 
visitor numbers have been in the range of half a million in each of 
the years since the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement: 
 
2007 : 494,000 
2006 : 559,600 (violence resumed in April) 
2005 : 549,300 (post-tsunami) 
2004 : 566,200 
2003 : 500,600 
2002 : 393,000 (Ceasefire Agreement in February) 
 
About 407,000 tourists arrived in Sri Lanka in 1982, just before the 
start of conflict.  During the 1983-2001 conflict period, arrivals 
averaged in the range of 300,000 per year.  According to a paper 
presented at a counter terrorism conference in Colombo in 2007, Sri 
Lanka lost over 11 million tourists and about $6 billion in tourism 
income in the two decades since 1983 as a result of the conflict. 
The paper supposed 6% annual tourism growth in the absence of the 
conflict.  In this case, arrivals could have reached 1.47 million in 
2004 -- over two and half times the 566,200 recorded that year. 
Thus, in tourism as in so many other aspects of the economy in the 
context of the conflict, the cost for Sri Lanka has been one of 
greatly unrealized potential. 
BLAKE