Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority to celebrate World Tourism Day 2017 tomorrow

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has organised a two-day special program to celebrate this year’s World Tourism Day. 

The program will be based on this year’s theme of ‘Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development’. The official ceremony will start at 9.30 a.m. on 27 September at Arcade Independence Square, Colombo 7.

The program will include an exhibition on sustainable tourism and a photo exhibition based on the Adaraneeya Sri Lanka television travel program. The exhibition on sustainable tourism will be opened to the public from 27 September. 

World Tourism Day was declared by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to promote sustainable, responsible and universally accessible tourism. World Tourism Day is celebrated worldwide annually on 27 September to raise awareness among the international community on the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value. 

Countries and regions with tourism-driven economies have become increasingly concerned with the environmental as well as socio-cultural problems associated with unsustainable tourism. As a result, there is now increasing agreement on the need to promote sustainable tourism development to minimise the environmental impact and maximise the socioeconomic and overall benefits at tourist destinations.

The highlights of the World Tourism Day 2017 program are as follows: 

nExhibition on Sustainable Tourism - This exhibition will be presented by government organisations, provincial councils, leading hotels and the main associations in the field of tourism

• Photo exhibition based on ‘Adaraneeya Sri Lanka’ television travel program
• Launch of three books on lesser known attractions in the Western, Southern and Central provinces.
• Exhibition on ‘Adaraneeya Sri Lanka’
• Presentation of certificates to winners of essay competition which was conducted for schoolchildren
• Prsentation of certificates to 40 ‘Tourist Friendly Eating Places’ within the Colombo District. 

“Out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations (UN), SDG8, SDG12 and SDG14 apply directly to the tourism sector. The effective monitoring and implementation of these SDGs will promote a sustainable tourism industry that creates employment, promotes local culture and products and nurtures sustainable production and consumption patterns across all major and upcoming tourism hubs across the island,” said Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs Minister John Amaratunga.

“The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) declared 2017 the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. This is fitting for Sri Lanka as we embark on a journey of transforming our tourism sector for the betterment of the planet and its people,” noted Minister Amaratunga.

“Tourism is Sri Lanka’s third highest export industry, with foreign exchange earnings and employment numbers increasing annually. Moreover, tourism has created opportunities for a multitude of small and medium entrepreneurs and businesses around the country. Sri Lanka has launched a Tourism Vision and four-year Strategic Plan that strongly endorses the principles of sustainable tourism. It ambitiously envisions a doubling of revenue and employment by 2020, whilst ensuring long-term sustainability of the industry. The primary areas of focus include: world-class management of natural and cultural heritage sites, strong connectivity to and around the island, ensuring a safe and secure destination and promoting community participation,” stated Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Chairman Kavan D. Ratnayaka.

“Tourism for tourists should be a threefold experience. It is not only about travelling and enjoying but also learning to respect and enrich one’s knowledge about a place’s historic significance and importance and to protect it for future generations. With the rapid growth of the economy and infrastructure development, Sri Lanka is a hot contestant among the most attractive destinations to visit. The motto of the international community for sustainable tourism, ‘Travel, Enjoy and Respect’, was customised into a local adaptation as ‘Dakimu, Windimu, Rakimu’ – See, Feel and Protect - to implement the sustainable tourism goals locally, said Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Director General Malraj B. Kiriella. 

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority invites the public to visit the Independence Arcade on 27 and 28 September to get a firsthand experience of this threefold concept.