Tourism resurgence in Eastern Province

Major development in Pasikudah:

By Mohammed NAALIR Reporting from Pasikudah

A luxury swimming pool in Pasikudah resort site.

A hotel construction site.

Tourism industry is blooming in the Eastern province after the elimination of LTTE terrorism. The Government has spent billions of rupees on livelihood and infrastructure development projects in the Eastern province. The tourism industry is also being developed rapidly in the East parallel to the South. The local and foreign investors have started to move towards the Eastern province gradually. A large number of foreign and local tourists can be seen visiting the Eastern province daily. The Government has intensified the infrastructure development in the province.

The Tourism authorities have predicted that the arrival of tourists will exceed 2.5 million by 2016 and around 45,000 hotel rooms will be required to provide accommodation facilities. However, according to the statistics of 2010, there are only 22,735 hotel rooms approved by Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

Additionally, there is a need for nearly 22,500 rooms to the current capacity, during the next five years. At the same time most of the current facilities also need to be upgraded.

Kuchchaveli

The SLTDA has identified a 510 acre land area in Kuchchaveli suitable for tourism development and for other tourism related development; 410 acres out of this will be allocated for tourism development and the remaining 100 acres for a golf course and public area.

Nearly 124 acres will be allocated for community development while allocating 211 acres for hotel development and 38 acres for additional purposes.

An acre land will be leased at Rs. 20 million by the Tourism Development Authority for a period of 99 years. An investor should purchase at least one block.

A block consists of ten acres. Three blocks have already been sold. The Jungle Beach Resort Limited which completed the construction of a hotel has started commercial activities. Construction work is yet to commence in other two blocks, according to SLTDA sources.

Required infrastructure facilities will be provided by the SLTDA and additional facilities will be provided on the request of investors. The SLTDA has constructed the storm water drainage system as an individual line and should be maintained by the investors. Storm water drainage system is different in Pasikudah. As it is a general line, it will be maintained by the Government, SLTDA sources said.

The SLTDA sources said that the National Water Supply and Drainage Board will implement a water supply project in the Kuchchaveli tourism attraction in future. Apart from the sea side the SLTDA has identified a 137.7 acre land for tourism development in Kuchchaveli.

Pasikudah is one of the main tourist attractions in the province but there are various tourism attractions in the province in addition to Pasikkuda such as Punnakkuda, Kalkuda jetty, Vakarai, Kayankarny beaches, Kallady bridge, Batticaloa Fort, Arugambay Surf Resort, Kuchchaveli, Nilaveli, Marble beach in the Trincomalee district and Polonnaruwa ancient city in the North Central Province.

The resurgence of tourism industry in the Eastern province has generated a large number of direct and indirect employment in the province. Road development has been expedited. A-grade and B-grade roads have been laid instead of dilapidated roads. Electricity and other fundamental facilities have been improved. Over 3,000 direct employments have been generated in the province while over 5,000 persons receiving indirect employment.

The National Holiday Resort, Pasikkuda is located nearly 300 kilometres from Colombo. Pasikudah is famous for its natural beauty. There is a finely covered bay with a sandy beach and an off shore reef on the Southern side of the bay which ensures a safe area for swimming inside the bay. There is several hotel construction projects progressing in the Pasikudah area. This area is turning into a main tourism destination in the region after the dawn of peace in the country.

The Government is developing the infrastructure facilities in the Pasikudah area and most of them have been completed now, the Tourism Development Authority sources said.

The Blue Ocean (Pvt) Ltd is constructing a hotel in Pasikkuda with 100 rooms at a cost of Rs. 1,118 million. Site clearing and demolishing of existing buildings already have begun. Maalu Maalu Resort constructed at a cost of Rs. 350 million is now in operation.

Construction

Sun and Fun Hotel Private Limited is constructing a hotel in Pasikkuda with 75 rooms at a cost of Rs. 324 million. Associated Resorts Private Limited is constructing a hotel with 50 rooms with a total investment of Rs. 780 million. The construction work is going on satisfactorily. Lanka Sportrizen (Pvt) Limited is constructing a hotel with 25 rooms at a cost of Rs. 990 million and construction work is progressing satisfactorily. Auro Lanka Hotel (Pvt) Limited is constructing a hotel with 50 rooms at a total cost of Rs. 367 million. Construction work is progressing.

Paradise Resort Pasikudah (Pvt) Ltd is constructing a hotel with 100 rooms at a cost of Rs. 652 million. Construction of 40 rooms has already been completed. Suntan Beach Resort (Pvt) Ltd is constructing a hotel with 126 rooms with a total investment of Rs. 350 million. Construction work is progressing satisfactorily.

Lanka Sportrizen (Pvt) Ltd is constructing a hotel with 50 rooms at a cost of Rs. 190 million.

Ominga International (Pvt) Ltd is constructing a hotel in Pasikudah with 60 rooms with a total investment of Rs. 400 million. Site clearing has already been completed.

LETS Travel Resort (Pvt) Ltd is constructing a hotel in Pasikudah with 36 rooms with a total investment of Rs. 735 million. Lokuge (Pvt) Ltd is constructing a hotel with 66 rooms at a cost of Rs. 198 million.

The construction work is progressing satisfactorily. Eastern Development (Pvt) Ltd is constructing a hotel in Pasikudah with 60 rooms with a total investment of Rs. 600 million and construction work is progressing satisfactorily.

The infrastructure development work in this area is also progressing satisfactorily. The road to the internal parking area has been gravelled at a cost of Rs. 8 million, according to Tourism Development Authority sources.

Ride on a Jet ski.

A tourist hotel opposite the bay.

Domestic tourists on a joy boat in the bay..

Walachchenai NPCL water pumps were renovated at a cost of Rs. 16 million. The Southern Wing was electrified at a cost of Rs. 1 million. Rupees 0.3 million was spent on landscape development in the public area. A sewerage treatment plant was also constructed at the public area at a cost of Rs. 200 million.

The SLTDA office, changing rooms and toilets were constructed at a cost of Rs. 0.3 million in the public area. Service duct section 1 along the Southern Wing was constructed at a cost of Rs. 38 million. The service duct II was constructed at a cost of Rs. 19 million. Storm water disposal section 1 (diversion of stream) was constructed at a cost of Rs. 13 million at Southern location and a gravel road was also constructed at a cost of Rs. 24 million at Northern wing.

Roads

Rupees 13 million was spent on water supply arrangement within the resort area. Two access roads are being constructed from Kumburumullai to Pasikkuda and Walachchenai to Pasikudah. Walachchenai-Pasikudah road is being constructed at a cost of Rs. 199 million and Kumburumullai- Pasikudah road is at a cost of Rs. 242 million.

The construction is to be completed before December 31. Storm water drainage is being constructed in the area at a cost of Rs. 25 million and 80 percent work is over now. The construction of storm water drainage section II at the Southern wing is progressing. The cost for the project is Rs. 13 million and 80 percent work has been completed now.

A changing room has been constructed in a public area at a cost of Rs. 10 million and has been handed over to the Eastern Provincial council. Toilets have been constructed in a public area at a cost of Rs. 12 million. It has also been handed over to the Eastern Provincial Council.

A Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) office has been constructed at a cost of Rs. 18 million in a public area.

The SLTDA is committed towards transforming Sri Lanka to be Asia's foremost tourism destination. The SLTDA will strive to develop diverse, unique and quality tourism services and products that would make Sri Lanka a unique destination, globally.

The SLTDA creatively uses its products, while ensuring optimisation of resources efficiently and effectively serve the industry.

Some of its activities include identifying and developing tourist specific, unique products and services, formulating and implementing Tourism Development Guidelines, and facilitating and implementing the legal and administrative process for new product and service development.

Tourism is a vital area in the development policy framework of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

It has been identified as capable of effectively driving the country's socio economic development. The program's vision for the tourism sector is to make Sri Lanka the foremost leisure destination in the South Asian Region.

The program believes the human resources and natural and cultural endowment values and ethos will be fundamental in transforming Sri Lanka into a centre of excellence and offer tourists the highest values of authentic experiences in its unique setting.