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Sri Lanka to focus on hosting tourism-based sports events in future to promote both industries

Sri Lanka to focus on hosting tourism-based sports events in future to promote both industries

Newly appointed Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs in Sri Lanka, Namal Rajapaksa has reportedly said that the country should organise and host more tourism-based sports events in a bid to boost both sports and tourism industries.

Rajapaksa has pointed out that such events will also help to promote destinations and will help hotels in the area to gain high occupancy during the period of games.

The Minister has made these observations at the opening ceremony of the inaugural two-day Hambantota Districts Beach Games at Hambantota beach where over 100 teams had participated.

According to the local media, the games were organized by Fit Sri Lanka along with Lanka Sportsrizen (LSR) to develop tourism based sports in Sri Lanka and Fit Sri Lanka had decided to conduct beach games all around the country.

Fit Sri Lanka was formed by Rajapaksa and the organisation plans to host similar events island wide due to the overwhelming response they received for the inaugural event.

Rajapaksa has also said that he will introduce a new policy framework to develop the sports industry and increase wellness by taking into account ideas and opinions generated from the public, local media reports stated.

The Minister is also focused on promoting the southern coastal city of Hambantota as sports and tourism destination.

OSL take:

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the country. Sri Lanka being listed as a must visit destinations by leading global travel publications resulted in many international brands in hospitality expressing interest in doing business in the island. The Covid 19 lockdown period is being used by many tourism stakeholders to renovate and upgrade their establishments gearing for the foreign travellers when the airports are reopened. Also, being awarded by the global safety and hygiene stamp has also placed Sri Lanka as a preferred destination of foreign travellers when the airports are reopened. Meanwhile, the move to amalgamate the sports and tourism sectors would further boost both sectors in the future. Foreign businesses/investors could therefore explore business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism and sports sectors.   

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Article Code : VBS/AT/20082020/Z_3

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