How 'Tourism Enriches'

K. A. D. George Michael, Additional Secretary (Tourism), Ministry of Tourism

TOURISM: All member countries of the World Tourism Organisation numbering 152 commemorated the World Tourism Day on September 27 including Sri Lanka.

The theme for Tourism day announced this year by the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) is "Tourism Enriches".

Tourism emerged as a global business because of the people who were born with interest to travel and enjoy their life.

Travel has extensively helped discovering new destinations, people and cultures across the world from time immemorial.

This process got speeded up during the past 5 decades with the invention of the aero plane to fly over the sky and the ship to sail across the sea and the train and motor car to travel on the land.

Today one can travel across the globe from one country to another within a matter of 10 to 15 hours.

Tourism as a business has grown in magnitude predominantly supporting the economies of developed countries and particularly developing countries like Sri Lanka to fight against poverty and unemployment.

According to statistics of the WTO there had been 808Mn international travellers in 2005. Tourism earned US$ 623 Billion worldwide in 2004. It is forecast that international arrivals will increase annually by 4.6% during the period from 2006-2015 to reach 1.56 billion in 2020.

Situation in Sri Lanka is no exception tourism being the fastest growing industry today accruing to the economy Rs.40,000 - 45,000Mn as foreign exchange while creating more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs to our people.

Tourism is rated as the fourth foreign exchange generating economic activity next to garments, foreign remittances and tea exports. The potential of Tourism to create jobs ranging from top level executives to small time business operators is unique.

Within an intensely competitive regional scenario involving competitor destinations such as Maldives, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Mauritius etc. Sri Lanka has been able to secure a figure of 405,487 up to August this year with an increase of 12% compared to last year.

This year the overall target remains as 600,000 if able to achieve will be the highest ever so far. The Mahinda Chintana policy frame work envisages a target of 1.5Mn by year 2010. Stabilising the numbers at a certain level and aiming at up scale Tourism moving gradually away from Mass Tourism is a long term objective.

The envisaged arrival figure within the Mahinda Chintana policy framework has necessitated Sri Lanka Tourism to gradually turn towards new markets while strengthening years old traditional markets in Western Europe which are still the bread and butter to the industry.

Action has already been initiated by the Ministry, Sri Lanka Tourist Board and the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau to tie up with the private sector industry to invigorate non-traditional markets in the South Asian and the Asia Pacific region such as India, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, China, Korea and Australia with enhanced promotions.

Building up visitor confidence by offering a tourism product with an unforgettable experience to the tourist must be a national responsibility of every citizen. Tourism being a people meeting people industry our friendly interactions with the tourists will take us a long way.

Tourism has proved to be an industry which has numerous economic potential to create enormous benefits to the rural community. Village based tourism is increasingly becoming popular among upscale tourists.

Today most of the tourists are discerning and highly educated to the extent of studying a country's facilities, the people and the cultures through the internet before they finally select their holiday destination.

They are extremely concerned over the sustainability of the cultural and natural environment of the destination they visit and seek ways and means of supporting the economy and the community through their holiday.

This is the concept that is known as "Responsible Travel". As policy makers we realise the responsibility to create authentic and varied opportunities for the responsible traveller to interact with the local community which automatically create spin offs for the people at large in numerous ways.

It is of paramount importance to highlight the fact that tourism has not been understood in its correct perspective by most of our people. This is due to various elements such as paedophiles, drug addicts, drug traffickers, entering Sri Lanka under the label of a tourist which is the easiest way to enter Sri Lanka enjoying on arrival visa facility and getting mixed up with genuine tourists. It is essential therefore to distinguish the genuine tourist from among other nefarious elements.

The Government has attached high priority for tourism development inter alia in terms of its excellent ability to support the regional and rural infrastructure, highways and transport, food production and processing, conservation of archeological heritage, poverty reduction and many others.

This year's World Tourism Day theme augurs well therefore with the enormous benefits flowing from Tourism to enrich the economy. This year as World Tourism Day official celebrations are held in Yapahuwa jointly organised by the Ministry and the Sri Lanka Tourist Board.

Selecting Yapahuwa the 13th century fourth capital of Sri Lanka for Tourism day celebrations has special meaning. Yapahuwa historical city qualifies in all respects to be promoted as a tourist attraction next to most popular archeological attractions such as Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya.

Tourism needs second level attractions both archaeological and natural to ease the congestion at popular attractions which are now exceeding the carrying capacity.

World tourism Day celebrations will help repositioning Yapahuwa among both local and foreign tourists as an emerging tourist attraction in time to come.