Tsunami Affected Countries - Wedding Forum

Kezzer · #1 (**permalink**) 19-01-2005, 12:31 PM

As some of you may know we were planning to go away over Xmas & New Year to Sri Lanka where we spent our honeymoon.
We cancelled our plans in November because we didn’t sell our old flat and couldn’t afford the expense of two mortgages plus a holiday.

Mikey has been offered a new job and it looks like he’s gonna start in March. We haven’t been on holiday since the honeymoon last February so we’ve decided that we’re going to go away the end of February & just bash the credit cards because if we don’t go now it could be at least 6 months before we get the chance again.

So we’ve done a lot of talking, thinking & research & we’ve decided we’re going back to Sri Lanka. We’re going to stay mainly inland but if it is possible we’d like to visit the south coast for a couple of nights as we would like to be able to see our friend & his family & the hotel where we stayed last year is now open.

So I was thinking this was quite an interesting subject sooooooooooo….

Liz · #2 (**permalink**) 19-01-2005, 12:40 PM

I would holiday there if I was you. You both want to. You have a connection to the place and have been genuinely concerned about recent events, so it's not like you would be going out of morbid fascination. Plus you would be doing the best thing you could possibly do for the country by bringing more money into the economy.

That said, it's not going to be QUITE the relaxing carefree holiday it would have been before the disaster (even though a lot of work will have been done). So personally, if it were me, I would probably wait until a bit later but only on purely selfish reasons. So I've voted ye to encourage responsible tourism, which I really believe is right, but at the same time hand on heart I would probably be a selfish mare and wait a little while so I got a better holiday...

Laurie · #3 (**permalink**) 19-01-2005, 01:16 PM

I voted to not go there because I'd feel uncomfortable.

There is a lot of devastation there at the moment and a lot of trauma. I personally would leave it for a while and let the dust settle and let the people that live there come to terms with what has happened.

I also couldn't bear it if it was a lot different to how it was before. It could ruin your memories or make you feel sad.

Try somewhere new, somewhere you haven't been before so that you have a new place to explore and grow fond of.

Sri Lanka will always be there, waiting for you.

Lauz
x

Copperhead · #4 (**permalink**) 19-01-2005, 01:32 PM

I voted go but encourage responsible tourism though I think, like Laurie, I'd probably feel a bit uncomfortable.

However, the countries affected need to get their economies back on track and as tourism is a major industry, I think the worst thing would be if everyone stopped going.
Rach

KM · #5 (**permalink**) 19-01-2005, 02:33 PM

I voted to go and encourage tourism because this is what many of the locals and people from these countries are pleading for...

But, Laurie has made some very valid points that I desperately agree with.

Follow your heart... xxx

Sara · #6 (**permalink**) 19-01-2005, 02:40 PM

I can see both sides of the coin. They do need the tourism - but I personally would feel slightly uncomfortable about it at the moment.

I guess a lot of these places do rely on tourism - so possibly long term it would be worse for them if people do stop going.

So I'm also going to vote go and enourage responsible tourism.

Lady Rools · #7 (**permalink**) 19-01-2005, 03:01 PM

I say go there, they need the income and tourism, and if people keep on staying away then this will tail off and the tourism industry will suffer. Yes it will be different and you will be sad at how things have been affected, but you and Mikey aren't the type to need cushioning from reality.

Well done Mikey on a new job too xx

nikki · #8 (**permalink**) 20-01-2005, 07:00 AM

I've been absolutely honest and said I wouldn't hooliday there cos I would feel uncomfortable, but not for one minute do I actually think that is the correct thing to do. i think the correct thing to do would be to go holiday there, encourage responsible tourism. personally, being a bit of a wuss, I wouldn't go yet, but I think it's very important that we DO use these resorts because so many people rely on tourism as their industry. So I woulnd't, but I think you should.... does that even BEGIN to make sense???

N xxxx

nikki · #9 (**permalink**) 20-01-2005, 07:02 AM

Just to add, when I say being a wuss, I don't mean I'm scared of another tsunami, I mean I wouldn't want to face up to the devatation first hand cos it would be awful to witness.

Jacqui · #10 (**permalink**) 20-01-2005, 11:27 AM

Strange that you ask... I have been pestering Trev for us to go there on our next holiday. I have been hearing on the TV that the people want tourest to come back there asap. They need tourist to buy from the craft stalls in the markets, to eat out in their restaurants but also to be some what respectfull of what has happened there.

I don't think it would be like a normal holiday but I could be wrong.

Your heart is in the right place so I would say go for it.

Jac
xxx

arabella · #11 (**permalink**) 31-01-2005, 09:22 PM

i wouldn't go there personally because it would seem like rubbing salt on the wound. you're there on holiday enjoying yourseld whilst they are barely trying to live and get on with life with such destruction and missing love. but i do understand that toursim is important for their economy, so as most have said, go with what you want - it's your holiday.

Dawnie · #12 (**permalink**) 02-02-2005, 07:57 AM

Kez, as you know Steve and I were considering Langkawi for this June. We have decided against it but not for the long term.

We're still adamant that we'll go back there next year but we'd like to go once the island has had time to recover. The people there need a period of grieving.

However, if we were planning it for Christmas like you are, i'd definitely be going. You'll have given them a good period of time to recover and i'm sure that although it will be different - you'll still have a fab time.

I love Sri Lanka - it's beautiful!!!