[ti:Sri Lanka Tourism Suffers After Deadly Bombings] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.12]The deadly bombings that struck Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday have led many foreign visitors to stay away from the island nation. [00:13.12]The Lonely Planet travel guide named Sri Lanka as its top nation for travelers in 2019. [00:23.20]The country is known for its beautiful beaches, ancient ruins, wildlife and parks. [00:31.98]But on April 21, more than 250 people were killed in several bomb attacks at hotels and churches. [00:43.96]Among the dead were 45 foreigners, including visitors from China, India, the United States and Britain. [00:55.90]The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the blasts. [01:02.88]Since the attacks, foreign tourism has dropped sharply. [01:09.84]Sri Lankan travel officials say many foreigners who were planning to visit the country over the next few months have canceled their plans. [01:21.27]Officials reported that, overall, visitor arrivals to Sri Lanka have dropped about 80 percent since the bombings. [01:33.11]The tourism industry makes up about 4.9 percent of Sri Lanka's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). [01:43.52]In 2018, 2.3 million tourists visited the island, bringing in about $4.4 billion. [01:54.24]That was an increase of nearly 12 percent from 2017. [02:01.09]Industry experts say hotel occupancy rates across the island have fallen by at least 85 percent. [02:11.36]Most beaches, eateries and stores in popular tourist areas are now empty. [02:19.51]Many foreign travelers usually visit Hikkaduwa, on the southwest coast. [02:27.54]The area is known for its good surfing conditions and clear waters for snorkeling. [02:34.65]The Associated Press reported that on a recent day, only a few of the area's 27 hotels were even open. [02:45.47]Most eateries that sit along the six-kilometer beach were closed. [02:52.69]The Hikkaduwa Beach Hotel was one of the few places still open. [02:59.31]On the day of the bombings, all 50 of its guest rooms were full. [03:05.28]Now, few people are staying there. [03:08.64]"It's a real disaster. We don't know what to do right now," said Sanjeewani Yogarajah, who works at the hotel. [03:18.56]She said the attack has so far cost the business $31,000. [03:25.00]The loss in earnings has forced the hotel to send half of its workers home. [03:31.89]Lankesha Ponnamperuma, who runs the hotel company Hikka Tranz, is one of the luckier ones. [03:41.68]He says that while foreign visitors are mainly staying away, his business is surviving because many local people are using the hotels. [03:52.32]On some days, up to two-thirds of the company's hotels are filled, he said. [03:59.64]The president of Sri Lanka's Hotels Association, Sanath Ukwatta, [04:06.40]said many hotels have been advertising rates 30 to 50 percent lower in an effort to get Sri Lankans to come. [04:15.82]While he admits such offers will not fully solve the economic problems, they can still "help at least to keep the hotels going." [04:26.80]One visitor to Hikkaduwa beach who spoke to the AP does not seem to mind the lack of other foreign visitors in the area. [04:37.91]Alexi Konchayenko, a sports trainer from Ukraine, drank fresh coconut water and enjoyed the sunny beach. [04:47.56]Bomb blasts can happen "anywhere, anytime," Konchayenko said. [04:54.34]He added that he was not afraid to be there and would probably come back. [05:00.40]"Sri Lanka is an amazing country. This is my first visit and I will tell my friends also to come." [05:10.72]Hotel worker Sanjeewani Yogarajah says one of the biggest concerns for industry officials is a travel ban issued for Sri Lanka by several countries after the attacks. [05:25.68]"The ban is our main worry. Until it is removed or softened, we can't start our marketing to attract tourists," he said. [05:36.62]"If it is lifted soon, we are hopeful we can bounce back this year, or otherwise definitely next year." [05:45.79]I'm Bryan Lynn. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM