Ramani Kangaraarachchi
*SLTDA names 2011 Tourism Year
*Over 700,000 tourists expected in 2011
The tourism industry in Sri Lanka will bring USD 2.75 billion to the country within the next five years. Tourist Board Chairman Nalaka Godahewa said that the real growth will begin from 2012 once all infrastructure such as hotels and roads are ready.
There is a lot of interest among investors to develop the industry but the process will take sometime’ he said.
Over 400,000 tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka up to October this year which is a nearly 47 percent increase compared to last year. India, UK, Germany, the Middle East,the Maldives, France , Australia, Canada, USA and the Netherlands were the top 10 tourist generating countries to Sri Lanka up to August 2010. There are only about 15,000 rooms at present in Five Star hotels to unclassified category which is not sufficient to meet future demand. Therefore, the tourism industry has identified new lands in several areas such as Passikuda, Kuchchiveli and Kalpitiya to construct new holiday resorts.
Two hundred and fifteen tourist establishments have been registered with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). A total of 958 rooms come under these establishments according to SLTDA sources.
Proposals have been made for a one-stop-shop at the Sri Lanka Tourism Head Office to process all tourism related projects. In addition Sri Lanka Tourism have stabilized comfort centres to facilitate domestic travel in several areas including Bentota and Pasikuda.
Meanwhile, regional tourism plans also have been done and a three year action plan from 2010 to 2012 have been prepared for the development of the Eastern Province and another proposal for the Northern Province will be prepared before 2010.
A total of 700,000 tourists are expected next year. Plans are being drawn to build 36,000 additional rooms by 2016 with a total investment of USD 3,000 million. It is expected that 15 percent of the total population in the country will depend on tourism related jobs by 2016.
In conjunction with President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second swearing-in, The Sri Lanka Tourist Development Authority has planned to launch 2011 as Tourism Year, with each month devoted to promote each category of tourism product available in the country.
The 12 tourism products to be promoted each month are Heritage tourism, Nature and Wild Life Tourism, People and Culture tourism, Sports and Adventure tourism, MICE (Meetings, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourism, Weddings and Honeymoons tourism, Shopping and Entertainment tourism, Health tourism including promotion of Ayurvedic and modern health facilities, Pilgrimmange tourism, Community tourism which will include agri-tourism as well, Culinary tourism, Beaches and beach-related tourism.
source - www.dailynews.lk
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