One stop shop for investors at Tourism Ministry

A one stop shop for investors has been established at the Ministry of Tourism where investors will be provided all facilities, said Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike.

The Minister speaking at an event at the Sri Lanka High Commission in London to thank the media and tour operators for helping during a tough post-tsunami year, announce SLTB achievements and plans for 2006, which may become an annual event, said a high powered Cabinet Sub-Committee will look into any issues which obstruct investors and take immediate action to remove these obstacles.

Over 150 people, which included tour operators, travel agents and the media participated. Thirteen companies like Reuters, SERCO, and Freshfields also participated. These companies have been helping Sri Lanka Tourism to bounce back and some travelled for two to three hours to be at the event.

The evening began with a new four-minute video on Sri Lanka, followed by Bandaranaike's speech. The Minister thanked the British public for their help and stated that people should not stay away from Sri Lanka any more, as Sri Lanka is now prepared to receive the full compliment of incoming tourists.

He said: "With the determination and resilience of the private sector, assisted by the Government, in several ways, tourism recovered remarkably well.

Year 2006 is expected to be a fine year. The feedback from the recently concluded WTM was exceptional with the up market operators recording a growth over 2004.

The good news that emanates from this ordeal is that our hard work and quick reconstruction has paid off."

"Only about 460 rooms in seven hotels, out of 14,000 rooms in the country are still affected," Bandaranaike said.

The Minister stressed that steps have been taken to encourage new investment to create an additional 15,000 rooms needed to meet Sri Lanka's tourism vision.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sri Lanka Tourist Board are targeting one million tourists by 2010 (a target established before the tsunami) and to do so the hotel capacity will need to be strengthened, he said.

The Minister said several new tourist resort developments are being planned and will be operational soon.

The Minister said UK continues to be one of the most important markets for Sri Lanka.

"The United Kingdom has always been a premium source market for us. Britain was our top tourism market with 106,600 visitors before the tsunami," Bandaranaike said.

The Minister thanked High Commissioner Kshenuka Senewiratne, and Jean Marc Flambert, Director, Sri Lanka Tourist Board, UK and Ireland.

Flambert thanked Charity Challenge and other companies for helping rebuild Sri Lanka.

Flambert highlighted improvements to the main website: www.srilankatourism.org and the launch of the new website for the UK trade: www.srilankatourism.org.uk and a sales brochure for the trade.

The Sri Lanka Tourist Board UK & Ireland plans to attend consumer fairs during January-March 2006. Plans are under way to capitalise on the tour by the Sri Lanka cricket team during May/June 2006 as this will be the first tour in England after England beat Australia in the Ashes series.

With England touring Sri Lanka in 2007, Flambert hopes to attract many English supporters to Sri Lanka.