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| Sunday, 1 September 2002 |
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New Authority to boost tourism by JAYAMPATHY JAYASINGHE The government is in the process of introducing new legislative amendments in Parliament shortly to set up a Tourism Authority and other related issues connected to tourism with private sector participation for tourist promotional work abroad. The Tourism Minister, Gamini Lokuge made these observation at a ceremony held at the ministry of tourism auditorium last wednesday in connection with the issue of a commemorative stamp to promote Sri Lankan tourism. The Minister said that the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Cabinet has given top priority to the tourism industry. The tourism ministry was in the process of expanding the Hotels School so that unemployed persons from rural areas could find employment after completing studies at the Hotel Schools. Plans are afoot to set up a hotel school in Beruwela with assistance from the Kuwaiti government due to an initiative taken by the Minister of Mass Communication, Imtiaz Bakeer Markar, he said. Post Master General W. M. Piyasena handed over the first day cover to Minister of Tourism, Gamini Lokuge, Minister of Mass Communications, Imtiaz Bakeer Markar and Minister of Tourism of the Kerala state Govt., India Prof. K. V. Thomas who was present on the occasion. Kerala Tourism and Fisheries Minister, Prof. Thomas arrived in Sri Lanka with a delegation of 22 businessmen, to promote and launch Kerala tourism in Sri Lanka. He will hold a four day workshop in Colombo. Prof. Thomas said that similar promotions will be launched in countries like Bangladesh, Malaysia, Maldives and in SARRAC countries. Several people in Kerala have set up businesses in Sri Lanka and the relationship between the two countries was strong due to its cultural ties, he said. Minister of Mass Communications Imtiaz Bakeer Markar said the tourism industry is an important factor for the economy which generates employment. As a politician representing a constituency where tourism is flourishing, he was happy to note that tourism had picked up again, he said. Meanwhile, the government has taken steps to tap new markets such as the Indian, Bangladeshi, Thai, Singaporean, Malaysian, Japanese and the Chinese. Already, the People's Republic of China has granted the approved destination status to Sri Lanka and a top ministerial delegation is expected to visit China shortly to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The Sri Lanka Tourist Board also participated at the China National Travel Fair held in Kunmun in November 2001 with a delegation of travel industry representatives. Tourism Ministry Secretary, Dr. P. Ramanujam said the government has been given top priority for the tourist industry. "We want to put Sri Lanka on the tourism map once again", he said. The World Tourism Day falls on September 26. |
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