US$300 million Dedduwa -Akurala high-end tourism zone gets underway
Sri Lanka is introducing high-end tourism projects and new travel opportunities in unspoiled areas of Dedduwa and Akurala in the Galle district in an effort to re-develop the southern province, the Western Province and Megapolis Development Ministry disclosed.
The two areas will be converted into a high –end tourist attraction zone with an investment of around US$300 million which is made available for this purpose at present, a senior official of the ministry told the Business Times.
The importance of having a canal from Dedduwa to Koggala was highlighted at the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) meeting recently, he said, adding that it will pave the way towards developing 14 islands in Koggala.
The Dedduwa area has already been singled out as a high –end tourism project area and it will continue on the South coast all the way up to Mirissa, he revealed.
The Dedduwa tourism area has many natural attractions such as inland lakes wetlands, flora and fauna, diverse biodiversity, eco-systems, beaches, temples, villages, cultural activities and paddy and cinnamon cultivation.
The Dedduwa Lake project covering 1,800 hectares of wetland lies to the east of the present Bentota Holiday Resort. The development plan provides it to be linked by the re-opening of old waterways to Madhu Ganga 20 km to the south and also developing the area surrounding the Dedduwa Lake.
The government will encourage high end tourists and for that it will allocate the lands from Bentota to Galle for high end tourism projects and will do it together with the re-development of Galle, Dedduwa and Akurala, he disclosed.
The Dedduwa Economic Zone will also be established in an area of 400-500 acres. The identified blocks of land are being acquired after payment of compensation.
In Akurala in the Galle District, survey work has commenced for the acquisition of 500 acres of land. Galle Port is to be developed with investment from Japan and Sri Lanka for the promotion of tourism.
The Conceptual Plan for the Southern Province has identified tourism activities such as boating, fishing, bird watching, cycling, camping, golf, nature or village walks, agro-tourism and water sports and the proposed tourism facilities include, water bungalows, chalets, floating rooms, camping tents, observation tower or decks, cinnamon museum, amusement park, floating restaurants, ayurvedic spas and souvenir shops.