First cruise tourism marketing plan presented to new Tourism Minister

Minister for Tourism Development and Christian Affairs John Amaratunga presenting a memento to Royal Caribbean VP John Tersec while Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism Development and Christian Affairs, Janaka Sugathadasa is also present  

President SLITO Devindre Seneratne, Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Dr. Rohantha Athukorala, TASL Vice President Nalin Jayasundera, Minister for Tourism Development and Christian Affairs John Amaratunga, Cruise Committee Chairman and consultant to SLITO Bernie Dole

The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, in a unique initiative organised in partnership with SLITO and THASL, has chalked the first marketing plan for cruise tourism, which was presented to Minister for Tourism Development and Christian Affairs John Amaratunga at the International Maritime Conference at Galadari Hotel 

Cruise Tourism, which accounts for 21.7 million guests worldwide, with Sri Lanka registering a number of 50,000 plus for 2015, is targeting 100,000 visitors by the end of 2016 given the strong infrastructure development that is planned which will cost 50-75 million dollars, said Minister Amaratunga. “We must get the supply chain aspects developed concurrently to the demand chain planning as per the marketing plan that has been sketched out if we are to make Sri Lanka a turnaround port, he voiced. I congratulate the private sector and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau for working together in the spirit of a private-public partnership as we celebrate World Tourism Day,” he said.

The cruise travel business, better known as the ‘floating marine resorts of the world’, attracts the world’s wealthiest and has doubled in business for Sri Lanka with 14 cruise liners calling port in the country in the 2012/13 period, registering visitor arrivals of 19,615 cruise travellers while in the 2013/2014 period, Sri Lanka attracted 22 cruise liners into Sri Lanka with visitor numbers going up to 27,317. This year the numbers have spiked to 52 cruise liner arrivals and overall visitors are expected to surpass 50,000. 

Present at the occasion were the Secretary of the Ministry for Tourism Development and Christian Affairs Janaka Sugathadasa, Dr. Athukorala, Chairman of the Ceylon Shipping Corporation Shashi Dhanatunga, President of SLITO Devendra Senerath, Chairman and consultant to SLITO Bernie Dole.