John lures homestays with beer and wine
View(s):Tourism authorities are luring unregistered accommodation units like home stays with beer and wine licences to join the formal sector of the industry.
With the growing number of informal places that tourists find good to stay in, the government is trying to create a platform and track all of them and ensure they are registered by assuring them the beer and wine licence to operate their accommodation units, Tourism Development Minister John Amaratunga told the Business Times.
These home stays and other informal places are being subject to checks by the relevant authorities that visit these units having commenced a programme on a large scale in Mirissa recently.
During the Mirissa visit there were a large number of establishments that had been interested in registering as many of them had opted to have the licence to serve liquor legally.
The next is planned for Dambulla and thereafter the authorities will carry out similar searches of these units in Arugam Bay, Ella, Kandy, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa.
The informal sector in these areas would also be helped by the Finance Ministry and the banks to assist in funding any further expansions and provide the necessary licences to operate their units, the minister explained.