South Asian tourism coordination office opens in Colombo
South Asia countries are to launch a joint tourism promotion website
and a tourism coordination office to boost the marketing of natural,
cultural and historic attractions across South Asia. In addition a
regional promotional office funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
would be set up in Colombo. The two main areas they hope to promote are
Buddhism and Eco tourism.
Minister of Economic Development, Basil Rajapaksa and Country
Director ADB, Rita O’ Sullivan at the launch of the website at
Taj Samudra yesterday.Picture by Shirajiv Sirimane |
The website and office are part of broader efforts by the countries
to develop sustainable cross-border tourism under the South Asia
Sub-regional Economic Cooperation program. ADB has been providing
technical assistance and other support to help the countries promote and
manage tourist attractions such as world-renowned and colorful Buddhist
heritage sites. The Tourism Working Group member countries are
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
“We are excited about the prospect of more active sub regional
cooperation for tourism promotion by means of the new website supported
by the new office, which will work closely with the private sector,”said
Keiichi Tamaki, Senior Urban Development Specialist in ADB's South Asia
Department.
Members of a tourism working group, set up under the SASEC program,
who met in Colombo, Sri Lanka also inaugurated the new tourism
coordination office based on a new regional tourism action plan for 2011
to 2015. The action plan provides a strategy for developing, promoting
and managing sustainable tourist attractions, including Buddhist
heritage trails, as well as activities such as Eco and adventure
tourism. During the meeting, the working group held talks with ADB and
private sector representatives to explore areas where cooperation on
tourism could be stepped up.
According to the United Nation World Tourism Organization, in 2010,
the countries comprising the South Asia Region received 11.1 million
international arrivals or 5.4% of total international arrivals in the
Asia Pacific region (204 million). It should be noted that South Asia
arrivals do not include the large number of land-based cross border
movements by residents of the South Asian countries especially between
India and its neighbours.
Of the total arrivals, around 7 million or 63% visited the countries
of the sub-region. Based on World Travel and Tourism Council estimates,
in 2009 tourism accounted for 6% of sub-regional GDP, employed 37.2
million people and generated around US$20.8 billion in foreign exchange
earnings.
“United Nations World Tourism Organization forecasts, by 2015, total
international arrivals to South Asia will reach 16.5 million, up by 49%
over 2010 and 21 million by 2020 up by 27% over 2015. By 2020, it is
estimated that the sub-region will receive 15 million arrivals or 71% of
total arrivals to South Asia”, said Additional Secretary, Ministry of
Economic Development Nihal Somaweera.
“Tourism sector is one of a handful of fast growing economic sectors
of the sub-regional economy that can be both sustainable while making
significant contributions towards inclusive development and poverty
reduction without having to move people to urban locations to find
employment.
“To develop South Asia's unique Buddhist heritage, natural and other
tangible and intangible heritage assets into well-developed, integrated,
conserved and sustainably managed and globally branded and marketed most
preferred destinations”. (SS) |