More hotels to be built in NE:
Tourism targets highest forex by a??16
Daily News
Sri Lanka Tourism (SLT) hopes to elevate its position by 2016 as the highest foreign exchanger earner to the country from the current fourth place.
Chairman, SLT, Bernard Goonethilake said that they hope to attract 1.5 million tourist arrivals by 2016 to achieve this target. Outlining the tourism promotion plan for the next four years, yesterday, he said that they also hope to attract high spending tourists. a??We want to increase the spending power of tourists from the current average of US $ 80 per day to US $ 130,a?? he said.
Sri Lanka Tourism hopes to add 7,000 additional rooms to bring the total strength to over 14,000 rooms to meet the projected demand. He said that with the dawn of peace in the eastern province more hotel rooms will be built in these areas.
The Board of Investment has already signed up with several local and foreign investors. a??Within the next two years there would be 700 rooms in Pasikudah, Trincomalee and Arugam Bay,a?? he said.
Director, Sri Lanka Tourism, S. Kaleselvam said that the industry generated over US $ 350 million last year and there were 389,550 tourist arrivals until last November.
This is a 10 per cent drop compared to 432,892 in the corresponding period last year.
The National Strategy for Sri Lanka Tourism has ventured to place the profile of the country as an Asian tourism icon. a??We want to make Sri Lanka Asiaa??s most treasured destination,a?? he said.
Eight objectives addressing the immediate and long-term needs, also cover the operational aspects as well as the four divisions that formulate Sri Lanka Tourism.
An 11-part strategic framework which addresses the areas of action has been defined and this Strategic Plan provides a blueprint on how traditional and the not so conventional aspects of tourism will be incorporated to grow into sectors such as nature, culture and adventure tourism.
A Tourism Strategic Action Group (TSAG) was set up recently based on the advice of the Minister of Tourism, Milinda Moragoda, to address the challenges ahead of the local tourism sector. It brings together key stakeholders in the tourism industry, enabling them to take quick decisions.
Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Purchase suprax cefixime George Michael said that the global economic crisis has been illustrated by the drastic drop of prices in key luxury hotels and the significant reduction of tourist arrivals in key locations throughout the world.
He said that they would use the Tourism Cess Fund to implement the four-year promotions.
a??This would be around Rs. one billion each year and government funds would not be used,a?? he said.
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