September tourist arrivals show 35 percent increase

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

September shows a 35.7 per cent increase in tourist arrivals when compared with last year.

A total of 55,898 tourists visited Sri Lanka last month. The arrival of Western European tourists showed a 46 per cent increase.

UK and German arrivals showed 43 percent rise.

French arrivals showed a 74 percent increase. This is a significant rise during this off season, Economic Development Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said.

He was addressing a special press briefing held at his office yesterday.

The Deputy Minister said that Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) will be subjected to a drastic transformation next month and all advertisements in the airport will be replaced with the photographs of historical places of Sri Lanka and with places of natural beauty.

The roads lead to airport will be decorated with hoardings (bill boards) which display the same. The Information Counter will be upgraded.

It will be able to provide information to tourists on where to start the tour covering all historical, natural and important places in Sri Lanka.

According to the Deputy Minister three main tourism development project zones have been set up at Pasikuda, Kuchchaweli and Kalpitiya. The Construction of 13 hotels (1,000 hotel rooms) have already commenced at Pasikuda and the projects will end by 2011/2012. Around 500 acres have been developing at Kuchchaweli.

Two out of 14 islands have already been handed over to the private sector for tourism industry and around 4,000 hotel rooms are to be built in all 14 islands. Around 150 to 200 hotel rooms are to be built on each island under this project. There will be no need of obtaining special permission to construct hotels with over 15 rooms and an initial investment of US $ two million.

Places that had not been used for tourism will be upgraded as tourist destinations. Under this project old `Walawas, will be developed as places which provide accommodation for tourists.

The Asian Tourism Conference will be held in Sri Lanka in March/April 2011 with the participation of over 4,000 delegates. It will provide a good opportunity for the country to launch a combined advancement in tourism among countries in the region.

The country received this opportunity during the World Tourism Conference held in Malaysia recently. A discussion was held with Malaysian Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman to develop the tourism industry between Sri Lanka and Malaysia. Eco tourism will be given priority.