Tourist travel in Sri Lanka to get facelift
View(s):Sri Lanka Tourism is set to get a boost with a new outlook on the way in which the future of travel to the country is to be planned with the assistance of global consultant Mckinsey and Company.
During a one day workshop at Temple Trees, there had been an exchange of ideas and identification of priority areas in the tourism sector, Tour Operators Association President Devendre Seneviratne told the Business Times.
He noted that the workshop held about two weeks back was part of the public private partnership engagement that the government is engaged in with all stakeholders to take the industry forward.
During the meeting there was discussion on the development of the Southern coastal area with a handicrafts village; the Cultural Triangle area to get a boost with improvements to be effected to the Sigiriya rock with a possible light and sound show.
Further the East coast was identified as another priority area for the sector with increased accessibility to be afforded to travellers through the services of a domestic airline in operation. The government opened up the Batticaloa Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) run airport for domestic civilian operations last year.
Another priority area would be the implementation of a marketing plan with a campaign on the digital media set to begin in May and later expanded into other areas like traditional media.
The key element that was focused was the implementation of the programmes detailed by the government which participants requested should be carried out at least within a year.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was present to deliver the concluding remarks at the end of the day’s workshop where he had called for active participation from the private sector.
Christian Affairs and Tourism Minister John Amaratunga along with PM’s advisor Charitha Ratwatte were also present at the workshop held for about 150 stakeholders in the industry that included all heads of the travel associations; government officials including provincial level officials, Wildlife Department representatives and the Central Cultural Fund.