Travel Information Centre to support tourists at Kandy Esala Perahera

Sri Lanka Tourism opened up a new Travel Information Centre to support tourists arriving for Kandy Esala Perahera pageant taking place from August 8-13, 2011. The information centre is located at the George E. de Silva park at the Kandy city center equipped with latest travel and tourism related information material, brochures, travel guides, city maps and posters relevant to Kandy Esala Perahera pageant.

The Information centre was declared open by the Chief Minister of central province Sarath Ekanayake at a special ceremony held with the participation of many distinguished guests including the mayor of Kandy Municipal Council, Commissioner of Kandy Municipality, Directors of Regional Economic Development Agency (REDA) and officers of Central Province Tourism Bureau.

Addressing the gathering at the opening ceremony, the Minister stated that the Central Provincial Council decided to join hands with Sri Lanka Tourism for setting up this Information Center to serve a long standing need specially during the Perahera season."Esala Perahera is a unique event viewed by an enormous number of foreign travellers during this time of every year. The travel information center is certainly going to help their information needs being readily available at their convenience now. Central Provincial Council is now planning with Sri Lanka Tourism to put up a permanent TIC at George E. de Silva park in the near future,to serve this purpose on year round basis".

Followed by the event, the minister also declared George E. de Silva as a leisure park for the use of general public. The park had been renovated and facilitated for the public to spend time leisurely at the heart of Kandy city. In future many more services will be placed inside the park premises for the public use.

During the first couple of days of Perahera pageant,it is reported that high number of tourist arrivals have been recorded to the Kandy city to experience the Esala Perahera.