'Travellers contribute to economic growth'
Members of the business community and experts on reconciliation
presented "Role of Business Community in Reconciliation" yesterday at
Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for international Relations.
Presentations were made by ten eminent persons from the business
community and experts in reconciliation: the keynote Address - "Role of
Business Community in Reconciliation" was presented by Ajith Nivard
Cabraal (Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka), "A Nation Moves On:
The Pathways to Reconciliation" by prof. Rohan Gunaratna (Head,
International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research -
Singapore), "Ease of Doing Business in the North and East" by Ms. Emelda
Sukumar (Government Agent - Jaffna), "Creating Harmony through Business"
by Deivanayagam Easuwaren (Chairman, Easwaren Broghers Exports Pvt.
Ltd.), "Possible National Reconciliation through the Tourism Industry"
by Anura Lokuhetty (President, Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka),
"Creatign Opportunities for Youth in the North and East through
Vocational Training Initiatives in the Hotel Industry" by Mr. Sanath
Ukwatte (Chairman, Mount Lavinia Hotel), "Supporting and Empowering
Livelihood Development at Grassroots Level" by Waruna Madawanarachchi
(Director, CIC Agri Business Ltd.), "Empowering Communities through
Small Scale Industry" by Ms. Linda Speldewinde (Managing Director,
Academy of Design Colombo) "role of ICT/BPO in reconciliation" by Mano
Sekaram (CEO, 99x Technology and Secretary General SLASSCOM / Chairman,
Advisory Committee on ICT Export - EDB), and "promoting Micro-lending in
the North and East" by Brindley de Zylva (Managing Director / CEO, Lanka
Orix Finance PLC).
New England overcame "Travellers encounter new experiences, gain
knowledge of other cultures, regions and countries, discover the
importance of caring for the environment, develop new friendships and in
the process, promote peaceful relations among people. Travellers also
contribute to the economic growth and development of a community and a
region when they spend to obtain a variety of needs said President
Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, Anura Lokuhetty.
He said that Economic development, especially when the development
aids in poverty reduction in the local community, helps to promote a
culture of peace. Today Sri Lanka is enjoying the fruits of peace after
long years of civil conflict which brought suffering and misery to its
people. The defeat of terrorism has brought about a national and
economic revival amongst all its communities, leaving the responsibility
of reconstruction, re-building,reassuring and re-establishing harmony in
political, economical and social sectors among the people in the North
and the East in particular, doing away with the distrust among all
communities to build bridges of Trust,Understanding and brotherliness.
Tourism is when people choose to travel from one location to another for
holiday or on sightseeing. Internal tourism is to visit family,
friends,for the purpose of play, study, work, business, pilgrimage and
or service. Tourist destinations, such as beaches parks, recreation
centres, museums,resorts and hiking trails, can be located within
walking distance from one's home or across the ocean.
Whether one travels many miles or a short distance , or whether one
travels alone, or with family members, with friends, colleagues or even
strangers, travel generally entails encounters and interactions with
peoples of different ages, ethnic backgrounds,cultural heritages,
spiritual traditions, different ability and educational levels, and
interests. Tourism helps in creating a culture of peace in a number of
other ways.
People engaged in tourism and hospitality; seek to provide a
welcoming experience for travellers, very much similar to the peace
making activities experienced within a family; such as offering
information, food, shelter,comfort and relaxation. People within the
tourism industry may also work together within and across regions to
establish policies that lead to the abolition of armed conflicts,
violence and warfare; promote ecological sustainability; and assure the
welfare of all members of the local and global communities. "The
strengths of tourism or attributes that helps in bringing people
together in non-adversarial circumstances include the extent to which
tourism has been adopted by individuals as a leisure activity and the
development of visitor destinations throughout the country."
However, it must also be noted that the scope and depth of tourism
can be considered a strengths only insofar as they contribute to the
goal of a
more harmonious environment. There are widely recognized advantages
pertaining to national reconciliation through tourism proposition.
He said that Tourism can contribute to economic development and
poverty reduction. "The tourism supply chain has a high capacity to
support and complement other economic activities, such as traditional
agriculture, fisheries, transport and handicraft and the industry is a
high labour-intensive sector creating many opportunities for youth and
women. "Tourism is a sector where entry barriers for small and medium
enterprises can be low, facilitating involvement in lower income
earners," he added.
Tourism can also contribute to national reconciliation in so many
other ways as well." Reducing poverty by hiring people from local
communities, paying just wages and supporting the development of local
and micro- business that contribute to and benefit from the tourism
industry; 'Tourism can eliminating conditions that lead to acts of armed
conflict, violence, terrorism and warfare, providing training in
conflict resolution and non-violence, and working with government and
community groups to restore areas damaged by warfare."One of the
Worlds's leading and trusted travel magazine in the UK "Conde Nast
Traveller" has nominated Sri Lanka as one of the top five destinations
to watch in 2012.
This achievement is certainly a boost for Sri Lanka Tourism which is
targeting a 2.5 million tourists by 2016.On the way to reaching 2.5
Million tourists by 2016 there will be employment opportunities created
for at least 500,000. "This will create a huge employment opportunity in
this industry enabling the country to reach its full employment status".
"The additional 350,000 jobs that will be created by the industry
will give employment opportunities right across the country including
the North and the East where some of the best beaches in the country are
located.". "Improvement of the people's financial status will boost up
the domestic tourism resulting in more movement of people visiting from
North to the South, South to the North or East and to the West vice
versa.
This will help to build up a unified population of Sri Lankans in the
new post war environment. In this environment people will earn to
respect different religions and cultures, contributing to our dream of a
unified population in unified Sri Lanka. We have much to learn by what
we have gone through and what we intend to achieve. In this endeavour,
it is desirable to use tourism as a vector for national reconciliation
he said in conclusion." SS
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