Asian Youth Games in H'tota will boost Lanka

Winning the bid to host the Asian Youth Games in 2017 in Hambantota will be a huge boost to promote Sri Lanka as a destination for tourism and sports, said Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) General Manager and Acting Director General Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Vipula Wanigasekera. He said that Sri Lanka needs a major event of that nature in the coming years and this would be the biggest sports event ever to be held in Sri Lanka. It will be next to the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.

“Hambantota will be the venue and sports fans, especially youth are looking forward to the Games. Sri Lanka will gain enormous publicity as a destination for sports and tourism. Asia is home to nearly half of the world population which will help Sri Lanka's tourism market”, Wanigasekera said.

Sri Lanka presented the proposal to the President of the Asian Olympic Council, Sheikh Al Ahmed Al Sabah last month in Kuwait amidst stiff competition from other countries.

“The Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) prepared the proposal and we are glad to have been associated with the National Olympic Council and the Ministry of Sports”, Wanigasekera said. Sri Lanka tourism is on an upward spiral since 2009.

The number of tourist arrivals is on the rise and the authorities have turned their attention to develop infrastructure and attractions which are essential to meet tourist demands.

Wanigasekera said that although Meeting, Incentive, Conference and Exhibition (MICE) tourism in Sri Lanka is still behind giants like Singapore and Malaysia, Sri Lanka has done reasonably well as regards Corporate Meetings and Incentive Travel.

- LF