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Wednesday Sep 25, 2024
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industry on Wednesday.
Chief Guest at the event Deputy Minister Economic Development M.L.A.M. Hizbullah speaking at the ceremony said that it is commendable that the Chamber of Tourism and Industry representing the private sector had come forth to take the initiative of launching a tourism industry news portal which would directly and indirectly promote Sri Lanka as a leading tourist destination in the world.
Ideal platform
“I believe this is in parallel with the Government’s ambitious target of having 2.5 million tourists by 2016,” he said, adding that the effort taken by Chamber of Tourism and Industry in launching a tourism news-oriented website would serve as a firsthand information portal for travellers and people who wish to get to know about main tourism attractions and tourism industry related events in Sri Lanka.
“It is no doubt A.M. Jauffer’s and the Chamber of Tourism’s idea will further enable to take Sri Lanka’s rural tourism growth activities and to promote the tourism industry and Sri Lankan culture worldwide. I personally believe this will be an ideal platform to promote Sri Lanka as a destination for tourists as well as for international conferences and meetings.”
Minister Hizbullah further noted that in fact it is a timely decision that the Chamber of Tourism and Industry had taken to take the country’s tourism industry forward with emerging new communication and social media technologies as Sri Lanka is gearing up for CHOGM 2013 in November this year.
Also present at the occasion were Senior Minister for Food Security P. Dayaratne, Minister of Justice Rauff Hakeem, Deputy Minister of Investment Promotion Faiszer Mustapha, Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka President Kumar Mallimarachchi, International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka President Tissa Jayaweera, Tourism Promotion Bureau Managing Director Rumy Jauffer, National Enterprise Development Authority (NEDA) Chairman N.M. Saheed, Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM) Chairman Chandra Mohotti and FCCISL Secretary General/CEO Nalin Attygalle.
Representing the FCCISL both Mallimarachchi and Jaffer said that the launch of the website was a timely need as the country’s next phase of growth was promised on the growth of the tourism industry.
Promoting growth and development
The FCCISL officials further highlighted that being member chambers of FCCISL, other chambers could also work towards enhancing their industries through chambers and activities that are targeted towards promoting the country’s growth and economic development.
The tourismnews.lk website will also help all tourism entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka by adopting the e-business concept which is prevalent in most developed countries around the world.
Jauffer said that the tourism industry currently lacks a more sophisticated technological platform to promote Sri Lanka’s tourism activities to world audiences and readers across the globe.
He said that it is vital to market Sri Lanka on the internet via online news media platforms that take a major role in destination marketing and creating enthusiasm among travellers. “Thus we proposed to operate and run a news portal titled tourismnews.lk managed under the Chamber of Tourism and Industry,” he added.
One-stop source
Tourismnews.lk is a website will be a one-stop source that informs worldwide travellers about Sri Lanka and tourism related activities in the country. The website will feature all tourism industry related news and activities in Sri Lanka while enhancing its platform to market tourism oriented business and Sri Lanka as a leading destination.
The website aims to educate people on Sri Lanka, what places to visit in Sri Lanka and events that attract tourists during each calendar year in Sri Lanka. Alternatively the news items will include featured articles on travel hotspots of the country, explaining their heritage value and historical importance.
The site will also promote Sri Lanka as a destination for foreign investment through articles that would be featured on tourism related activities.
