Vast tourism potential :

Lanka among top five

Ridma Dissanayake

Sri Lanka is among the five top countries that have vast tourism potential.

The government has taken several measures to develop the tourism industry in the country while introducing several facets to boost the industry, Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said.

The minister was addressing the inauguration ceremony of the dolphin and whale watching vessel service commenced by the Ocean University of Sri Lanka in collaboration with private operators in the industry, stakeholders recently.

“President Mahinda Rajapaksa had taken measures to use all resources for the country’s development.

He commenced the Ocean University when he was the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister with aim of using the ocean resources for the economic development and developing the tourism industry,he added, Dolphins and whale are a very rare spectacle.

But they are very common in the Southern seas and Kalpitiya. “We have the longest Blue Whales and their length is over 134 metres.

“There are 80 varieties of whales in the world and 26 out of them are found in Sri Lankan waters.

‘The Ocean University of Sri Lanka had organized whale watching for the first time and both local and foreign tourists can watch whales and dolphins without using telescopes or binoculars. This vessel service had been inaugurated at the Galle Fisheries Harbour under the patronage of Minister Dullas Alahapperuma and Sabaragamu Province Chief Minister Mahipala Herath.

Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry Secretary S.S.Hewa Pathirana and Ocean University Director General Wijaya Wickremaratne also participated in the inauguration ceremony of this vessel service.