Tourism fast recovering - PM

by Richmond WIJESEKERA -Bentota Group Corr.

"With the end of the conflict situation, the country moves forward with the 'Mahinda Chinthana' towards prosperity and a new outlook. Tourism is an industry that is fast picking up and improving", said Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake.

He was addressing the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Bentota Tourist Resort, held at Bentota NHR.

The Prime Minister said, we should strive to make this an opportunity to show the world that Sri Lanka is fast stabilising and establishing itself as a safe and peaceful destination to visit and explore. I congratulate the Ministry of Tourism and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority for their many achievements in the tourism sector and wish them all the best for the activities that are scheduled to take place in Bentota to mark this significant milestone.

Minister of Tourism Achala Jagoda said, the country has entered a new era under the able guidance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Tourism is thriving in this context and we can actually see this with the rise in the tourist arrival figures to the country and the rising occupation levels of hotels. It is indeed noteworthy, the positive exposure the country has received in the international arena, and we are looking forward to improvements in the infrastructure within the country and to ensure better quality of overall standards for visiting tourists both local and foreign.

He said I wish the Director and the Team of Domestic Tourism and Resort Management Division of SLTDA all success as they take on this noble venture to organise an array of activities to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Bentota, the first planned National Holiday Resort of the country.

Chairman, SLTDA Bernard Goonatilake said, we hope that this event will create a new opportunity for the people of the area and bring in a much needed boost to the tourism industry as a whole.

Secretary, Ministry of Tourism K.A.D. George Michael said, Bentota is an excellent model of sustainable tourism and a classic example of planned development. With the declaration of 2011 as the Visit Sri Lanka Year, we believe that the anniversary celebrations in Bentota will strongly contribute to the creation of better prospects for the tourism industry.

Chairman Bentota PS, Jackson Kottahachchi and Bentota Divisional Secretary K.K. Gunapala also spoke.