(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The government has decided to introduce new tourist zones for local and foreign tourists and the process of identifying those new tourist zones is underway, said Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga.
Once these zones are identified, they are expected to be gazetted as new tourist zones and 07 tourist zones are currently in operation in the country. These tourist areas are Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Arugam Bay, Pasikudah, Kalpitiya, Yala and Bentota.
In addition, there are a number of other tourist zones with attractions throughout the island that have not been gazetted as tourist destinations, according to the Minister.
The Minister is of the view that by identifying and declaring these tourist zones, their infrastructure development and tourism investment opportunities can be expanded and the criteria currently identified in announcing new tourist zones have to be updated.
This program will be implemented in line with the Vision of Prosperity Policy Statement targeting Sri Lanka’s tourism industry to generate US $ 10 billion in revenue to the national economy by 2025.
Although the tourism industry in the country has collapsed due to the Covid 19 epidemic, the government is taking all possible and necessary steps to revive it, the Tourism Minister says.
Sustainable tourism industry development is one of the objectives and accordingly the program aims to introduce new tourism zones.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has so far identified nearly 6,000 new tourist attractions islandwide.
Infrastructure development and development of these tourist destinations are currently being planned and the Minister is confident that it will be possible to commence infrastructure development at these tourist destinations by next month.
These development projects are to be implemented jointly by the Ministries of Highways, Rural Roads and Other Infrastructure Development, Wildlife Culture and Local Government.
These development projects are to be implemented jointly by the Ministries of Highways, Rural Roads and Other Infrastructure Development, Wildlife Culture and Local Government.
