Special attractions for transit visitors:
Novel tourist draw
*Private sector participation
*Facelift for Gampaha
Chaminda PERERA
The Government in collaboration with the private sector will launch a
massive project in a bid to attract foreign tourists who are on transit
at the BIA to offer them a glimpse of the rural life of Sri Lanka.
According to President’s advisor and Former IGP Chandra Fernando, the
tourists who are on transit visit or short tour to Sri Lanka will have a
better opportunity to enjoy the way of Sri Lankan life under this
project.
He said these tourists are languishing in their hotels in areas
adjacent to the Airport without enjoying the abundant cultural,
religious and natural diversity of the country and arrangements are
under way to attract them towards tourist sites and traditional villages
in the Gampaha district.
This kind of tourists would be encouraged to visit the religious
places such as the historical Kelaniya temple, the Thewatte Basilica and
Attanagalle temple in the vicinity of the BIA and help them engaged in
some kind of recreational activities during their short stay in the
country, he added. Fernando added a boat ride service in the Hamilton
Canal, visit to the Botanical garden and forest reserves in the Gampaha
district would be arranged for such tourists under this project. “The
tourists who are on transit visit are confined to Negombo,” Fernando
added.
He added that various tourist sites would be established in the
Gampaha district where these tourists can witness the Cinnamon
cultivation in Kadana and how cinnamon is peeled. The tourists would be
able to witness the traditional milking of cows, visit to various
traditional product villages in the district. Fernando said the private
sector has expressed its willingness to invest in this novel area and it
would be an unique experience for the tourists too.
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