Joint strategic planning will boost regional tourism
By Gamini WARUSHAMANA
A single visa system is important, to achieve the objectives of the
South Asian Subregion Tourism Forum (SASTF) said the director of Shangri
la Tours and the President of Nepal Tours Association, Ashok Polkharel
told SASTF in Colombo last week.
The single visa arrangement will make decisions taken at the forum
practical and increase tourist arrivals to the region and as a result
all countries will benefit, he said.
Polkharel said that the single visa system can be introduced to
tourists who visit the country to see Buddhist cultural sites and for
eco tourism in member countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal
and Sri Lanka. Embassies of South Asian subregion countries can be
empowered to issue multi-country visas to tourists.
The Comparative advantage of such initiative is greater and today
technology is advanced to address all negative aspects of this kind of
visa arrangement.
Sri Lanka's online visa arrangement system is an example and it is
convenient for tourists.
Single visa arrangement can be implemented but need will-power and
hard work by the member countries, he said.
Ludwing Riedder of ADB explained about the subregional tourism market
and the objectives of SASTF.
The South Asia Subregion market attracted 7.6 million tourists in
2010 and it is a 16.7 percent increase compared to 2009.
Around 36 percent tourists came from Europe, 22 percent from South
Asia, 18 percent from North America and 14 percent from East and South
East Asian regions.
Those tourists include mostly older tourists, the younger wonder-lust
tourists and adventure seekers as well as the family resort market.
Cultural site seeing, adventure-based eco tourism and pilgrimage are
growing.
The average length of stay of a tourist is 14.5 days and they spend
an average of $127/day. The majority of the tourists were visiting two
or three countries.
Buddhist heritage sites have become a tourist attraction and China
and the Asia Pacific region is a fast- growing market, in this regard.
Tourist arrivals to the sub region will increase by 50 percent in the
next five years and will reach 16 million.
The region is facing a strong cycle in the next five years.
Long staying intra-regional market is expected to capture 75 percent
of the market by 2020. There is a growing demand from thematic cultural
and nature-based tourists.
The growth of the industry is of no consequence, the issue is what we
are going to offer tourists.
Sustainable management of natural resources and the cultural heritage
and inclusive growth are key in the development of the tourism sector in
the sub region.
This is the main reason the ADB support this project and it has
proved that tourism can make inclusive growth and reduce poverty because
the industry, especially culture and nature-based tourism is operating
in locations where marginalised people live, Riedder said.
SASTF's strategies are; sustainable and inclusive development of
thematic multi-country Buddhist heritage, natural and cultural heritage
circuits, safeguard heritage sites and promote public private
partnerships.
Capacity building and knowledge sharing to support sustainable
tourism development, marketing and product development.
Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism ,Nalaka Godahewa said that this
initiative will improve connectivity and management of cultural and
natural resources in the sub region.
Under the project strategies, a road map to implement the strategies
and institutional arrangement have been set up.
Tourism is the largest service industry in the world and it
contributes 6 percent of the regional GDP, he said.
Sri Lanka can offer a range of products to this segment of tourists.
There are eight UNESCO world heritage sites in Sri Lanka and of them
six are related to Buddhism.
For eco tourism Sri Lanka has the highest density of waterfalls,
leopards, one of the world's best elephant gathering in Minneriya and
many more, he said.
The website of the SASTF was launched by the Minister of Economic
Development, Basil Rajapaksa. |
