Implementation of Tourism Act will be further delayed

The implementation of the Tourism Act will be further delayed as some stakeholders have reservations, Minister of Tourism Milinda Moragoda told journalists.

He said that he will have to ascertain the reasons through a consultation process with industry stakeholders and report his findings together with the progress of the Trust Fund to the cabinet within three months.

Moragoda said the ministry will appoint working groups to explore the possibility of establishing whale watching projects, a photo library and presenting presidential tourism awards while a veteran in the field M.D.D. Peiris will monitor the progress of the working groups.

The Minister said that he will take a personal interest in developing domestic tourism as it is the livewire of developing the tourism industry in any country.

He said that they will call for proposals to develop the Kalpitiya area as a tourist destination.

Airing his views on travel advisories, he said that he together with his officials will do everything they can to remove them. We will manage expectations and win the trust and credibility of everyone.

The Ministry of Tourism is planning to attract 1.5 million tourists by 2010 and everybody in the country will have to contribute to make it a reality, said Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism George Michael. He said that they are planning to form expert groups in areas such as domestic tourism and pilgrim tourism.

Chairman SLTB Renton De Alwis said that without a solid base of domestic tourism there is no country that has developed their international tourism. Therefore we want to build Sri Lanka's tourism industry as an all inclusive product and since we have an inclusive approach it would not be difficult, said De Alwis.

SG