Handsome rewards from tourism for all

The ultimate aim of every economic development program should be the improvement of the people’s living conditions. Therefore, I have planned to develop tourism as a source of income which leads to economic and social welfare, said Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa addressing a meeting held at the Sri Jayewardenepura Parliamentary Complex last week.

It was decided to declare 2011 as the Tourism Year beginning from January 6 at this meeting.

The Minister said that since the end of the war, the economic and social aspects of the country have transformed greatly.

The World Bank has recently said that Sri Lanka’s economy is strong and has been improving with more income from tourism, thereby increasing per capita income.

Some people who wanted us to go begging for aid including tents for the displaced by the war, hate to see this present development. These local and foreign forces wanted to drag Sri Lanka to the position of another Ethiopia or Sudan. We should understand this reality and implement economic development policies accordingly.

Minister Rajapaksa said that Institutions related to tourism should perform their duties well to the satisfaction of tourists coming to the country.

They can promote the message of Sri Lanka’s hospitality and good will backing up the long-term development of the Tourism industry and the country in general.

The Minister said that the majority of the people would be disinterested in tourism development, if the dividends are enjoyed only by a section of the tourism industry.

The proper development of tourism would bring indirect dividends to handicraft artistes, herbal health centres, rest houses, travel agents, cab services, tourist guides etc. Therefore, no room should be left for swindlers to fleece or defraud tourists and tarnish the image of the country.

Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Felix Perera, T B Ekanayake, Priyankara Jayaratne, Dr Jagath Balasuriya, Rishad Bathiudeen, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene and Deputy Minister Sarath Gunaratne, Swarna Gunawardena and Dulip Wijesekara were also present at the meeting.