Negombo, a major tourist hub
By Ananda Agalakada
The coastal town of Negombo is well-known for its tourist attraction
over the decades. Negombo is quite a tourist hub just as much as other
coasts in the country. There are several spots in the Negombo coast
which are a tourist draw.
The glorious flora around the lagoon of Negombo has always been a
tourist attraction from time immemorial. Meanwhile, there are many boat
services and guide services for tourists who require them.
With the Government's effort to develop the tourism industry and
attract over one million tourists in 2013, Negombo will be a catalyst in
this endeavour. Even in the early days when tourism was booming, Negombo
played a major role as a tourist attraction in the seventies. Today with
the Government taking many initiatives to beautify the country,
particularly the main cities, Negombo too has come under the microscope
to be developed as a major tourist hub.
The people of Negombo people are optimistic about the coast and the
lagoon in terms of development. They are expecting rapid development of
the Negombo coast and city in general. The people say that the Negombo
lagoon could generate valuable revenue for the country.
In this backdrop that Deputy Minister of Fisheries Sarath kumara
visited the area recently and promised people that he would provide
their necessities and create prompt development in the area as well as
develop the fishery industry and tourism and take Negombo to new
heights.
it is in this backdrop and on the invitation of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources Development Deputy Minister, Sarath Kumara, journalists,
photographers and a few staffers of the Fisheries Ministry took a trip
to a small island situated seven kilometers away from the Negombo jetty
and coast.
En-route of the journey the quaint beauty of the small island was
visible. It consisted of many kinds of birds as well as fauna and flora.
Migrant birds were flying to and fro and flock on tops of the trees.
The sleepy small island was nestled in a valley and peering through
its splendour, one is amazed at the beauty. While on the journey to the
island, fishery farms were visible scattered in the lagoon. It was
understood that farmers earn a quick buck from fish farms and they were
well-maintained.
We could not believe that some visitors were walking in the sea
getting off their boats. Later it came to light that people could walk
as some places in the lagoon were shallow. Many tourists could be seen
laughing and enjoying in the shallow waters of the lagoon.
Deputy Minister, Sarath Kumara Gunarathna while admiring the beauty
expressed concerns about the environment of the coast. He said, Negombo
could flourish by using the resources of the coast. He said the
environment of the coast should be protected because some residents
disposed garbage things into the environment.
They should be more responsible and refrain from these wrongdoings.
There were five thousand families and they have been residing around the
lagoon and their livelihood were to engage in fishery industries in the
area.
A lot of tourists will approach the lagoon to spend the day and will
visit picturesque areas of the lagoon. Owners of boats would have a good
income with tourists travelling around them.
The Deputy Minister stressed that he was not a stranger in this area.
He was used to the Negombo lagoon as he was born and bred in Negombo.
Personal secretary to Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development
Minister, Chaminda Kumarasinghe was a part of our voyage to the small
island of the Negombo lagoon.
The Government in its endeavour to make Sri Lanka the tourist hub of
South Asia has initiated many town beautification projects and Negombo
too would receive a major facelift soon, he said.
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