Sri Lanka to set up task force for tourism
The Morning: Sri Lanka is looking forward to establishing and empowering a taskforce focused on tourism, to make decisions related to the sector, in an effort to revitalise the industry, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath said on 2 September.
“The decision was made with two main objectives of revitalising the tourism industry and generating direct income growth for the national economy. This task force will be empowered to make decisions related to the promotion of the tourism sector,” Herath said.
Herath made these remarks during the inaugural session of the Tourism Promotion Task Force, held at the Presidential Secretariat.
Discussions focused on preparing plans to promote the tourism sector, ensuring government institutions operate within a unified framework to implement necessary decisions, as well as addressing the challenges faced by both tourists and industry entrepreneurs.
The importance of formulating future plans, in collaboration with all government institutions and private sector stakeholders, to ensure the success of the upcoming tourist season in the country was also emphasised.
President’s Secretary Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, President’s Senior Additional Secretary Roshan Gamage, President’s Senior Advisor on Economic Affairs Duminda Hulangamuwa, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Ministry Secretary Aruni Ranaraja, Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry Secretary S. Aloka Bandara, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Chairperson Buddhika Hewawasam along with Ministry officials and private sector industry representatives including John Keells Holdings CEO Krishan Balendra and EKHO Hotels and Resorts Vice President Nihal Muhandiram, were present at the event.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s steadily growing tourism industry has presented many business/investment opportunities. The growth in the industry has resulted in generating a considerable revenue to the country while the authorities have also expressed confidence in the growth by recording high revenue targets. All these developments have resulted in the expansion of business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry and related sectors. These opportunities also include the development of infrastructure and supplementary infrastructure facilities required to meet the growing demand. With Sri Lanka’s tourism authorities looking at introducing new tourism concepts among foreign travelers, there have been an expansion in Sri Lanka’s leisure and hospitality sectors. The increasing business potential in the many sectors under the local tourism industry is evident by the interest shown by international leisure and hospitality brands to explore opportunities in Sri Lanka. Given that Sri Lanka has been identified as a must visit tourist destination, the tourist arrivals to the country would see a further growth. Foreign businesses/investors could therefore confidently explore the expanding business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry and related sectors.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20250909/Z_4 |