Over 100,000 targeted:
Boost for foreign tourists in NE next year
by Ananda KANNANGARA
The Tourism Ministry will launch hotel construction projects at
selected locations in the Northern and Eastern Provinces to attract over
100,000 foreign tourists during 2010.
Deputy Tourism Minister Faizer Mustapha told the Sunday Observer that
the ending of the 30-year war and the emergence of peace in the North
and the East has encouraged the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board and
private sector hoteliers to recommence their business activities in the
region.
“In addition, several tour group operators will reactivate operations
between the South and the North,” he said. Referring to the official
launch of the new brand for Sri Lanka Tourism at a ceremony, held in
Colombo on Tuesday, Deputy Minister Mustapha said the aim of the launch
was to position our country as the premier tourist destination in the
region.
He said a team of officials was sent to the Northern and Eastern
regions to identify suitable locations to construct hotels and to study
ways and means to develop tourist attractions.
“Nilaweli, Arugam Bay and Kuchchaveli in the Trincomalee District are
the main places, we have already identified to construct large hotel
complexes,” he said.
The Minister said the number of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka from
UK, USA, France, the Maldives, Germany, Japan, Russia and Australia will
be doubled during the forthcoming season, especially due to the end of
the war. Asked about sending local tour groups to the North and East,
especially those who have never visited these regions, Minister Mustapha
said that priority will be given to promote local tourism in these
regions in collaboration with Sri Lanka Tourism. |