The government has taken measures to merge three institutions running under the purview of the Tourism Ministry and establish a new authority named as the Sri Lanka Tourism Authority, Co-Cabinet Spokesman Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.
Addressing the weekly Cabinet media briefing held yesterday he said Cabinet approved the proposal made by Tourism Minister to repeal the Tourism Act No 38 of 2005 and to draft the Bill to impose a new Tourism Act.
The Minister said this decision has been taken considering the issues and resource wastage that occurred due to the function of separate institutions with the intention of ensuring the sustainable development of the tourism industry.
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management operated as state agencies running under the purview of Tourism Ministry and the new law would merge Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau.