South Korea grants Rs. 650 m to boost community-based tourism in SL

• Cabinet nod to ink MoU with Korean Tourism Organisation and SLTDA for project in Kuchchaveli
• Cabinet Co-Spokesman says total 2.1 b Korean won grant by South Korea is a great support to boost triple-hit tourism industry
• Grants 400 m Korean won for first phase of overall preparation plan

The Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on Monday approved entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Korean Tourism Organisation and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority to implement a community-based tourism project.  “SLTDA has proposed the implementation of a community-based tourism development project under the sponsorship of the Korean Tourism Organisation focusing on the Kuchchaveli tourism development areas owned by the Authority,” Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena said at the post-Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. He said a delegation of the Korean Tourism Organisation has conducted a feasibility study on the relevant project proposal and South Korea has agreed to provide financial assistance to the tune of 2.172 billion South Korean won (around Rs. 650 million) for the implementation of the entire proposed project. 

“In the first phase, it has been agreed to provide a grant of 400 million South Korean won for the preparation of the overall plan of the relevant tourism development project, the preparation of the training and the implementation of a pilot training program,” he added. 

Gunawardena said at a time when Sri Lanka is struggling to get loans following the worst financial crisis, the grant by South Korea is a great support to boost the triple-hit tourism industry.

The proposal to this effect submitted by Tourism Minister Harin Fernando was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on Monday.