Cabinet approves proposal to draft a new Tourism Act

The Cabinet yesterday approved a proposal to draft a bill to impose a new Tourism Act in order to establish a new authority known as “Sri Lanka Tourism Authority."

This decision has been taken as the tourism sector has been divided into four institutes and that has resulted in coordinating issues and resource wastage due to the separation of the institutes.

Under the provisions of the Tourism Act to No 38 of 2005 has divided the sector into four major institutes, such as Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Sri Lanka Federation Bureau and the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management.

The Cabinet Ministers after considering the adverse effects caused by the act granted approval to repeal the Tourism Act No.38 of 2005 and to draft the bill to impose a new Tourism Act and establish a new authority “Sri Lanka Tourism Authority" which would partner with Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and Sri Lanka Federation Bureau.

The proposal made by Tourism Minister Prasanna Rantunga was approved by the Cabinet.