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| Thursday, 25 March 2004 |
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'Fast-Tracking' major tourism projects to benefit all Major tourism infrastructure projects are earmarked for fast-tracking to cope up with the continued influx of tourists into the country, states a press release from the Office of the Government Spokesman. Some projects are The Dedduwa Lake Resort (Bentota Stage II) Madhu Ganga project and Bolgoda Lake project. Dedduwa Lake project covering 1,800 hectares of wetland lies to the east of present Bentota Holiday Resort. The development plan provides it to be linked by the re-opening of old waterways to Madhu Ganga 20 kilometres to the South and also developing the area surrounding the Dedduwa Lake. Once this is completed, the whole coastal area between Bentota and Balapitiya will become one large tourist development providing 15,000 jobs in direct employment and another 30,000 in indirect employment. More than US $ 2 billion will be pumped into the Dedduwa Lake project, resulting to immediate benefits to villagers of Warahena, Athuruwella, Galbada, Yalegama, Dedduwa, Suriyagama, Mullegoda, Gonagala, Galagama and Olaganduwa. The benefit will come primarily in the form of employment in the construction, hotel and restaurant industries. The project will also provide an increase in income for tourism related support businesses such as small traders, handicraft artisans, tour guides, fishermen and fruit and vegetable growers and retailers. Madhu Ganga and Bolgoda Lake project cover another 850 and 2630 hectares. Madhu Ganga will be developed as an eco-tourism site enhancing the skills of the people to attract more tourists to the area thereby improving their earning capacity. Bolgoda Lake Project will be focused to develop the infrastructure and develop the Lake for water sports. While the Government is investing in master-planning and developing whole geographic areas for tourism such as the Dedduwa Lake. Madhu Ganga and Bolgoda Lake projects, the private sector has also been investing to meet the increased demand for accommodation. Foreign and local investors are pouring more than US $5 billion into the expansion and upgrading of private-sector hotel properties alone. Aman International Resorts for example is in the process of upgrading the Queens Hotel in Kandy. The New Oriental Hotel in Galle and the Dutch Hospital in Colombo. Banyan Tree from Singapore has recently acquired several new properness on the South Coast and upgrading work will begin shortly. Investments have also been made by individuals who have turned charming historic private residences into holiday villas and boutique hotels. At the same time, the Sri Lankan Tourist Board has been promoting an initiative to encourage development of the few remaining manor houses in Sri Lanka to make them unique accommodation for travellers interested in an alternative travel experience. To this end, import duty waivers and income tax holidays have been put in place. Four hundred rooms in such heritage properties are expected to be available by late 2004. Since the advent of peace in November 2000, tourism's contribution to the economy has steadily increased. It is now the fourth largest source of foreign exchange earnings as well as an important source of employment. However, for tourism to remain one of the mainstays of economic growth, peace and investment has to continue, said Paddy Withana, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board. "Over the past two years, sustained efforts have been made to build investor confidence and we must ensure that this confidence is not shaken by the threat of instability in the nation," he said. |
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