Over 500,000 tourists visit Jaffna

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

The number of local and foreign tourists visiting the Northern Province has recorded a remarkable increase and nearly 550,000 local and foreign tourists had toured Jaffna via A-9 road during last week.

After 30 years local and foreign tourists are able to visit Jaffna and other key places in the North freely due to moves taken by the Government to eradicate terrorism, Tourism Minister Achala Jagoda told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

According to Minister nearly 250,000 pilgrims had worshipped the Nagadeepa Temple last week. In addition, tourists have shown a keen interest to visit other important places in Jaffna and its suburbs.

The significant improvement of tourist visits to the North would boost the country’s tourism industry. Tourists have selected Sri Lanka as one of the safest countries in the world to travel to after defeat of the three decades old terrorism by the Government under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Minister said.

He said at present difficulties have been encountered in providing accommodation and other sanitary facilities to the large number of local and foreign tourists who visit Jaffna and some other parts of the Northern Province.

The Government has already commenced water supply scheme and other facilities in the North.Minister Jagoda requests those who visit Jaffna to utilise the available facilities with utmost care and extend their cooperation to protect the environment and natural resources in the province.