A Task Force for the Development of the tourism industry has been appointed by Industrial Export Investment Promotion, Tourism and Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranatunga.
It comprises high officials of the Tourism Ministry, Tourism Development Authority, Tourism Promotion Bureau, SriLankan Airlines and the Airport and Aviation Services Company, Minister Ranatunga said, adding that it had been tasked with the function of identifying problems confronting the Tourism Industry, finding solutions to them and implementing those solutions. The Task Force has been given two weeks time to submit its program of work recommended to the Minister.
A media statement by the Ministry said one of the prime responsibilities of the Task Force would be to identify places with natural tourist interest and new sectors for tourism development. It had also been tasked with the responsibility of developing the industry on the basis of amusement parks, places of religious and cultural interest. Adventure sports, agriculture and forest based tourism as well as Ayurveda based tourism.
The statement added that the government’s attention had been drawn towards setting up tourism services centres
at intersections of road networks leading to the main tourism cities with all sanitation facilities and restaurants to cater to tourists.
These centres would conform to international standards. It is also hoped to implement a strategic publicity programme in various foreign countries to promote Sri Lanka tourism. Through these programmes the government hoped to increase the annual influx of foreign tourists to 7 million by the year 2030.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour” policy statement and programme envisaged to add 10 billion US dollars annually to the country’s coffers by 2030.