Representatives from the retail sector suggested that the retail sector could not rely only on domestic consumption, so the government must beef up tourism promotion and ensure tourists' safety, calling tourism one of few existing lifelines that could help to shore up the tepid economy. Calls for the government to lift martial law were dismissed, warning of a repeat of political mayhem, adding that martial law had little effect on tourism sentiment, citing The Mall Group's sales increasing by more than 25% last year.