Heritage and cultural sectors benefit from tourism boom

Benefits of the present tourism boom are spreading to all the other sectors of the country, including heritage, arts and cultural sectors.

During the period of terrorism many institutions in the cultural, arts and archeological sectors were severely affected. One of these institutions was the Cultural Triangle Project. As a result of reduced income from tourists, the Cultural Triangle Project faced a crisis situation and some of its projects were closed and casual labors were terminated.

After the end of terrorism Sri Lanka experienced a tourism boom, resulting in increased income for the Cultural Triangle Project. It had earned Rs. 884.5 million from foreign tourists as entrance fees for heritage sites. The income from this source was only Rs. 307 million in 2008.

In 2008, 112,190 tourists visited the heritage places falling under the Cultural Triangle Project.

This figure dropped to 109,404 tourists in 2009. After the end of terrorism, tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka have increased tremendously and the number of foreign visitors to Cultural Triangle sites increased to 199,895 in 2011.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa presented the Tourism Development plan 2011-2016 last year and instructed an increase in tourist arrival targets for 2011.

He initiated a number of projects to expand the facilities for the industry. Tourist arrivals increased to the unprecedented level of 855,975 in 2011.

Commenting on the recent changes in the Cultural Triangle project Professor Nimal De Silva, Director General of the Cultural Triangle Project, said: “The major source of income for the Cultural Triangle Project is the entrance fee charged on foreign tourists visiting heritage sites. Since tourism was badly affected during the period of terrorism, we faced a crisis situation and had to stop some of our projects and terminate most of casual employers.

We couldn’t start any new projects. But now our situation has changed completely. Our income has increased tremendously. Under the instruction of Minister of Cultural Affairs T.B. Ekanayake we have initiated a number of new projects.”