More hotels to be built in NE:
Tourism targets highest forex by ’16
Shirajiv Sirimane
Sri Lanka Tourism (SLT) hopes to elevate its position by 2016 as the
highest foreign exchanger earner to the country from the current fourth
place.
Chairman, SLT, Bernard Goonethilake said that they hope to attract
1.5 million tourist arrivals by 2016 to achieve this target. Outlining
the tourism promotion plan for the next four years, yesterday, he said
that they also hope to attract high spending tourists. “We want to
increase the spending power of tourists from the current average of US $
80 per day to US $ 130,” he said.
Sri Lanka Tourism hopes to add 7,000 additional rooms to bring the
total strength to over 14,000 rooms to meet the projected demand. He
said that with the dawn of peace in the eastern province more hotel
rooms will be built in these areas.
The Board of Investment has already signed up with several local and
foreign investors. “Within the next two years there would be 700 rooms
in Pasikudah, Trincomalee and Arugam Bay,” he said.
Director, Sri Lanka Tourism, S. Kaleselvam said that the industry
generated over US $ 350 million last year and there were 389,550 tourist
arrivals until last November.
This is a 10 per cent drop compared to 432,892 in the corresponding
period last year.
The National Strategy for Sri Lanka Tourism has ventured to place the
profile of the country as an Asian tourism icon. “We want to make Sri
Lanka Asia’s most treasured destination,” he said.
Eight objectives addressing the immediate and long-term needs, also
cover the operational aspects as well as the four divisions that
formulate Sri Lanka Tourism.
An 11-part strategic framework which addresses the areas of action
has been defined and this Strategic Plan provides a blueprint on how
traditional and the not so conventional aspects of tourism will be
incorporated to grow into sectors such as nature, culture and adventure
tourism.
A Tourism Strategic Action Group (TSAG) was set up recently based on
the advice of the Minister of Tourism, Milinda Moragoda, to address the
challenges ahead of the local tourism sector. It brings together key
stakeholders in the tourism industry, enabling them to take quick
decisions.
Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, George Michael said that the global
economic crisis has been illustrated by the drastic drop of prices in
key luxury hotels and the significant reduction of tourist arrivals in
key locations throughout the world.
He said that they would use the Tourism Cess Fund to implement the
four-year promotions.
“This would be around Rs. one billion each year and government funds
would not be used,” he said. |