Sri Lanka gains economic momentum
Sri Lanka ranked among the Top Ten Fastest Economies, being eighth in
the world according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) of United
States. As the global economy would emerge in the recession, it is
envisaged that Sri Lanka would record a 6.3 percent GDP growth rate that
is second only to China, which will record an 8.6 percent in the Asian
region.
“In times of economic strife it’s heartening to see our country doing
so well. We must not rest on our laurels and strive to do better and
bigger things. Sri Lanka Tourism contributes enormously to the economy
and that contribution will only increase over the next decade,” Sri
Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Chairman Eranga Basnayake.
With the current political stability as well as the opening of the
North and the East to tourists, Sri Lanka Tourism, is estimating nearly
15 percent of the Sri Lanka population will benefit from tourism
industry.
The Government is keen on achieving this and it features high on the
list of long term priorities. There are several projects in the pipeline
that will serve as an impetus to propel this venture forward.
The projects have all been streamlined into the biggest ever tourism
venture in Sri Lankan history - Visit Sri Lanka 2011. This colossal
project has been launched with a series of projects that are lined up
for 2011.
The project was kick-started with the New York Times and the Daily
Candy Washington D.C declared Sri Lanka as the number one spot for
holiday makers.
The visit year will help Sri Lanka Tourism in putting a foundation in
place in order to achieve the target set by the President to bring in
2.5 million visitors to Sri Lanka by 2016.
An arrival figure 765,000 is projected by 2011 and to cater to this,
Sri Lanka Tourism is using unique marketing and communication tools to
lure in tourists to the country through product development, promotions
and communication.
The marketing activities lined up to launch this project will be
spread out over this year and will lend to an improvement of the economy
by the end of the 2010.
By which time the world will emerge from recession and post crisis
economic landscape will become clearer.
This will pave the way to achieve a higher growth of about seven to
nine percent in the medium term, the Finance and Planning Ministry said
, quoting the EIU.
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