Sigiriya to become iconic tourist destination
View(s):The government has evolved plans to highlight Sigiriya as an iconic tourist destination by developing its environs and related facilities together with the Tourism Development Ministry and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the Authority said in a media release last week. Considering the historic, wildlife and cultural richness of the Sigiriya Rock Fortress and City, there is a need to develop activities, infrastructure facilities and standards of services provided with the aim of giving a boost to the tourist experience, the statement said.
Referring to the growth of the tourism industry in Sri Lanka Tourism Minister John Amaratunga said: “Challenge of growth of tourism arrivals demand more infrastructure facilities and standard services with collective responsibility to promote convenient, safe and secure travel in the country.” On the aspect of diversification of the tourism industry, Deputy Tourism Minister Arundika Fernando said; “We need to focus more on heritage tourism in order to maximize the new opportunities which needs to face the competitiveness of destinations with the cultural assets of the country.”
Addressing the priorities in the tourism industry can only be achieved through improvement in service quality and establishment of services with customer expectations. “Service quality of the tourism sector has the ability to effectively support the growth of tourist arrivals with higher level of contribution to national economy,” SLTDA Chairman Paddy Withana was quoted as saying.
SLTDA Director General Malraj B. Kiriella has expressed that many tourists visit Sigiriya and consider it as a top most attraction in the country. “Therefore, we need dynamic strategies to improve facilities and services to make the cultural asset of Sigiriya as an iconic destination in the world map.
Considering this, Sri Lanka Tourism has taken an initiative to upgrade services with more facilities and to improve international recognition,” he said. Last week the authorities launched an express tourist bus service and opening up of facilities for travellers to the historic site and awarded licenses to trained tourist guides and handed out certificates to tourist-friendly eateries and gave licenses to new tourist establishments as part of the SLTDA’s initiative on “absorption of the informal sector.”
Parallel to the project on absorption of informal sector, SLTDA has taken an initiative to launch the certification for the eating places, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the local authority of the respective area and the Ind-Expo Certification in the Sigiriya area. Two types of certification are granted to these places with ‘A’ and ‘B’ grades. Furthermore, this project of the SLTDA aims to cover popular small restaurants in tourist zones in order to satisfy tourists with quality and hygienic food. By participating in this project, the relevant places will have the advantage of supplying clean, hygienically prepared, tasty food and also obtain more recognition in order to create more demand.
A new Tourist Police Post has been established at the CCF office complex in the site to address tourist harassment issues.
Furthermore, SLTDA has launched a special training to around 60 SLTDA registered area and site guides in Sigiriya. This training course includes career, skill development, customer care and capacity building programme to uplift the professionalism of guides. Trained site and area guides will be provided an additional value with the issue of new licenses, Identity Cards and special uniforms. The Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) has joined hands with SLTDA to implement this plan of uplifting of the professionalism of guiding in this area.
SLTDA with the collaboration of Expressway Transport Company (Pvt) Ltd will launch a tourist friendly comfortable super luxury bus services in order to provide enthusiastic and comfortable tour to Sigiriya from Colombo. The journey starts from Colombo Fort at 5 a.m. and departure from Sigiriya (return) at 3 p.m. which will make it faster to the destination and back. The site will also provide tourists with cultural shows at the National Craft Village in addition to live craft making, food and entertainment.
Other infrastructure facilities like a clean environment, sanitary facilities and access to information will also be provided and further improvement in this regard would be worked out in future.