Sunday Times 2
Tourist service centre and welcome centre opened in Habarana
View(s):A milestone in Sri Lanka’s tourism development was marked on December 12 with the opening and transfer ceremony of the Tourist Service Centre and Welcome Centre in Habarana. The project, a collaboration between Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea in 2021, represents a step forward in promoting sustainable tourism and empowering local communities.
The ceremony was attended by North Central Province Governor Wasantha Kumara Wimalasiri, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism S L Nazeer, and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam. Deputy Head of Mission of the Korean Embassy in Sri Lanka Jung Sohngyee, and Park Jung Woong from the Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) participated from the Korean side.
This project’s origins trace back to 2019, when an officer from the SLTDA received an award at a tourism content development contest by KTO in Korea. Over the years, it became a longstanding aspiration to bring this dream to fruition, making this achievement all the more significant.
Despite challenges posed by the global pandemic and the country’s economic difficulties, the project has successfully delivered on (i) community-based tourism development, (ii) capacity building, and (iii) infrastructure development such as the tourist service centre, and an online information site to enhance accessibility.
Government officials from the Tourism Ministry, SLTDA, and the North Central Province Council, as well as local communities involved in the project, expressed gratitude for the initiative and provided support throughout its implementation.
In her remarks, Ms Jung Sohngyee highlighted the longstanding friendship between Korea and Sri Lanka and underscored Korea’s role as a top-five bilateral ODA partner. She also urged the Sri Lanka Government to expedite the implementation of the visa fee exemption policy for travelers from 37 countries. This measure, currently under review, is expected to boost international arrivals, including those from Korea.