SL has potential to revive tourism with renewed vigour: Prasanna

• In message on World Tourism Day, which falls today, Tourism Minister calls on all Sri Lankans to unite to revive the industry on
• Says all industry stakeholders fully vaccinated, time to live with the new normal in COVID-era 
• Plans underway to reopen country for all tourism activities 
• Primary goal is to prevent virus transmission from tourists to local community
• Hopeful of $ 10 b foreign exchange earnings from tourism in coming years
• Underscores number of measures to recover the industry in new areas, facilities and capacity 

Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga

Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said yesterday Sri Lanka has the potential to revive the tourism industry with renewed vigour as 60% of the total population is fully vaccinated.

Issuing a message on World Tourism Day, which falls today, under the theme ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’, the Minister called on all Sri Lankans to unite to recover the industry in the post-COVID era.

“The country cannot be closed forever due to the COVID pandemic. The tourism industry cannot be stopped. Under the new normal, we must now get prepared to live with COVID. What is needed now is the support of all citizens. I invite all parties to join hands to revive the country›s economy and restart the tourism industry,” Ranatunga appealed.

He said all stakeholders engaged in the industry are fully vaccinated and the Government had taken a number of steps to overcome the challenges, adding that countries around the world are now focusing on reopening their borders with steps to contain the COVID pandemic. 

“Our primary goal is to activate the tourism industry with preventive measures to control the spread of the COVID-19 from tourists to the local community and from the local community to the travellers,” the Minister said.

In the face of the current pandemic, the tourism industry in every country of the world has collapsed, he said, noting that the lockdowns of the countries have led to supply chain disruptions and as a result, the tourism industry came to a complete standstill. 

“This is an unbearable situation for the tourism industry in Sri Lanka, where there are nearly three million people who are directly or indirectly dependent on the industry,” he stressed.

Highlighting tourism has been identified as a thrust industry, the Government policy framework ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’, Ranatunga expressed confidence that the industry will be able to generate around $ 10 billion foreign exchange earnings annually to the national economy.

“The tourism industry can generate the much needed foreign exchange for our economy, it is an important sector for our economic development. Tourism is also an area that can be easily revived and developed. Although the $ 10 billion goal has been pushed back due to the pandemic, we hope to achieve that target again by opening up the country for international tourists,” he added.

Ranatunga said the leadership by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has given priority to the national vaccination drive in order to protect the people against the COVID pandemic, adding that over 60% of the total population has been fully vaccinated at present.

 “Our aim is to bring the benefits of developing the tourism industry to a better level than ever before, from the self-employed to the large-scale entrepreneur engaged in the tourism industry. Thus, we are working to build an eco-friendly and culturally-friendly sustainable tourism industry with the participation of all parties concerned,” he said.

In addition to natural beauty, new areas based on tourism and entertainment are being identified. 

“I also invite the private sector to develop the tourism industry based on religion, culture, heritage, adventure, sports, agriculture, forest, and local Ayurveda,” he added.

Modernisation of domestic airports and development of domestic airlines, establishment of tourist service centres along the road network connecting the major tourist cities of the country, construction of sanitary facilities, restaurants, money transfer centres on par with international standards, online booking of hotels, transportation facilities, introduction of a centralised internet software system and automated entry gateway to tourist destinations, such as a guide, domestic airline tickets and entry tickets were outlined as key plans to enhance the tourist facilities.

Further, Ranatunga said plans are underway to train at least another one million skilled and unskilled people in the industry. 

“We look forward to implementing a number of initiatives to boost the tourism industry, such as the provisions to showcase art, conduct regular cultural shows with traditional and modern dancers, create space for artists and sculptors close to hotels and tourist hotspots,” he added.