ROLE OF THE DOMESTIC AVIATION FOR PROMOTING TOURISM IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

Understanding the travel and tourism in the world of change is challenging
and meeting the individual’s expectations is considered a great achievement
in the industry of hospitality. Tourism and travel are inseparable and the later,
especially with the use of air travel has a catalyst effect on tourism in the global
scenario. Globalization, socio demographic conditions and technological
advancements have encouraged frequent travelling which implied by 5.5 percent
average annual growth of global air travel for the last decade.
However, in the Sir Lankan context, the role of domestic aviation has been
neglected even though the island nation is determined to raise tourism as
their major revenue generator in the national economy. Developing domestic
aviation becomes a necessity mainly due to the travel desires of tourists and the
dilapidated existing road transportation network.
The study explored the industry of tourism and the impact of the domestic aviation
on the industry by focusing on understanding the local and foreign tourists’
demands. The lacuna in the past research work enables to start from the very
basics and determined the micro level demand function for domestic aviation.
A conceptual model is formulated and proved that the demand for domestic
aviation depends on seven parameters; namely (1) Travel Time, (2) Desirability,
(3) Affordability, (4) Mobility, (5) Accessibility, (6) Reliability and (7) Safety and
Security.
Further, it revealed that the development of domestic aviation needs a
multidimensional approach to bolster economy and the industry itself. The
non availability of national policy, lack of capital intensive investments, are
considered major obstacles. Also the research explains the most relevant factors that influence the air travel are (1) Saving time (2) Travel comfort (3) Avoid
traffic (4) affordable price and (5) avoid delays in business meetings. Finally,
it suggested an indigenous approach which is required for the sustainability of
both the industries while discussing the marketing promotion and benefit for the
stakeholders.