Hospitality industry:

Govt moots refurbishment

Irangika RANGE

Economic Development Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said that 2,000 new hotel rooms will be added to the local hospitality industry this year in addition to the 1,000 new hotel rooms being constructed across the country.

"A thriving hotel industry is a key component for any country's tourism sector. Therefore we have initiated a program to refurbish existing hotel properties and building new rooms to accommodate the growing tourist demand," the Deputy Minister said. He said the Ministry has received new applications from local and foreign investors to build another 3,000 new hotel rooms in the future.

Plans are afoot to expand the future of tourism in Sri Lankan.

Under this Eastern Province's coastal cities Arugam Bay, Pasikuda, Trincomalee and many areas in the Southern region are being promoted as recreational centres and Kalpitiya and other selected islands will also be developed into tourist resorts.

Total arrivals in 2010 had exceeded 600,000 tourists. Therefore, it is necessary to build new hotel rooms to cater to the requirements of the industry.

Hence as a first step, the existing local hotel network has to be refurbished and upgraded on the fast track.

Over 1,500 existing hotel rooms are being refurbished and upgraded.

Special attention has been paid for small and medium-scale investors in the tourism industry.

They will be provided with all facilities to encourage and sustain the industry.

It is also planned to set up one stop shop by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority to provide facilities to local and foreign investors.