Sri Lankan officials say hosting World Surf League in Arugam Bay indicates country is safe
Tourism authorities in Sri Lanka have reportedly said that hosting a men’s qualifying series competition of the World Surf League (WSL) at Arugam Bay with the participation of over 125 surfers from 30 countries will boost the country’s positioning as a safe destination for surfers and tourists.
It is the second time the global body of professional surfers is holding the event in Sri Lanka.
The surfing completion is one of several events Sri Lanka is holding to mark World Tourism Day, as the country looks to boost its image as a safe destination and recover from the effects of a downturn after Easter Sunday events.
“This is an event that will help us tap into key Western markets,” Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) Chief Kishu Gomes has been quoted as saying. “There will be competitors from the USA, Canada, UK, New Zealand and Australia.”
Sri Lanka’s Tourism Minister John Amaratunga has said that over 135 participants from around 30 countries will be in the competition.
The WSL had made a security assessment in the wake of the Easter Sunday blasts in April and were satisfied with the status.
“They sent their own consultant who performed a security audit of the entire country,” the Minister has told the media, adding that the officials had spent time in the Eastern regions and held discussions with the military and police.
“They concluded that Sri Lanka was safe and decided to hold the event in Arugam Bay,” Amaratunga has said
Arugam Bay has right hand point break waves, which have been admired by adventurous global surfers who trekked to the area during the island’s long running civil war.
“Sri Lanka is an incredibly beautiful country with an abundance of waves on offer for surfers of all levels so we are stoked to be heading back,” WSL Asia Event Director Steve Robertson has said in a statement.
“With world-class surf and solid qualifying points on offer at the So Sri Lanka Pro, we’re expecting a great international field to attend this year’s event. The event will be broadcast across all WSL channels and will show surf fans around the world just how incredible the surf in Sri Lanka really is.”
OSL take:
Hosting of a qualifying round of the World Surf League in Sri Lanka is yet another endorsement that the country is safe for foreign visitors. Sri Lanka’s tourism sector has shown an impressive growth in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday attacks in April. Sri Lanka continues to maintain the top slot as the destination of the year in several key global travel publications and has on offer many packages/deals for foreign travellers. Tourism authorities in Sri Lanka have also approved 16 new hotel projects during the second quarter of this year. All these indicate the expansion of business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism sector.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/17092019/Z_2 |