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| Sunday, 6 June 2004 |
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Enormous potential for tourism in North and East The Government will shortly announce an incentive package for tourism to attract new investment to the sector. Tourism Industry and investment promotion Minister, Anura Bandaranaike said when he met a delegation of Dorset chamber of Commerce members led by British High Commissioner Stephen Evans. "At present we are discussing with all stakeholders as to what incentives are needed to develop the sector to attract new investments and we will announce a very attractive package," the minister said. The members are interested in investing in tourism, textiles, IT Telecommunication and telemarketing sectors. " We are looking at business opportunities to export goods and services as well as partnerships. We have made some positive contacts too," members of the delegation said. The delegation members said that "food tourism" is a sector that can be developed as it is one of the growing sectors in tourism at present. The Minister explaining the future developments in the sector of tourism said that a 400- acre land is being developed as a tourist complex in Benthara. At present the country is short of about 16,000 rooms while infrastructure such as roads and railway lines will also be developed in the future. "We are expecting this year to be better than last year which was by far the best year for tourism in the country,'' he noted. The sector is the third largest forex earner for the country and employs 300,000 people. The country is expecting a influx of tourists from India and China,"the minister said. "The North and East have enormous potential to develop tourism but peace is a necessity to explore the opportunities," he said. The minister also said that investors are keen on investing but the delay is on our part therefore we have to clear the road blocks to make the environment conducive to investments. |
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