Hikka 2011 this weekend set to revive the Hikkaduwa economy

Hikka 2011, the fourth component of the annual beach festival will be held on the pristine beaches of Hikkaduwa on the 29, 30 and 31July.

This year, the Hikkaduwa Tourism Service Providers Association and the Ruhunu Tourism Bureau have taken the responsibility of organising the event. The event was first started in 2008, with the goal of establishing a global brand for the region, and to boost the local economy during the off season.

Over 120 million rupees worth of revenue was brought to Hikkaduwa due to the festival in previous years.

Festival director Chamindra Goonewardene said” “This year we are really focusing on the brand assets of Hikkaduwa in order to strengthen the image. This is why we chose to place a large emphasis on the drummers, the fire dancers and the roti, as we believe that those will further enhance the image of Hikkaduwa. This year, the organisers are hoping to bring in 200 million rupees worth of revenue to the area.

S.R. Nanayakkara, vice president of the HTSPA said, “It is exciting to see all the businesses in the area opening up and preparing for the festival. This is the only real source of revenue during the off-season and a large number of tourism stakeholders are dependent on this festival.”

“We are expecting a large number of both domestic and foreign tourists for this event, and everything is now in place for the arrival of these attendees,” Goonewardene added.

The event features 4 international DJs, 5 drumming bands, 200 drummers, dancing elephant puppets, a number of beach sports and more. Full details can be accessed on www.hikka2011.com.