John promises to boost tourism

The new government is planning to take measures to make tourism the major foreign income generation source, the new Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Affairs John Amaratunga said.

Speaking at an event held in in Kandana Friday, the Minister pointed out that a wide spectrum of tourism attractions can be found throughout the country and the government should strive to earn most of the revenues from tourism instead of from the migrant workers.

Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Affairs John Amaratunga

He noted that the high rates of the hotels and guest houses in the country hinder attracting more tourists to the island nation. Sri Lanka, even surpassing Thailand, has become an expensive destination for tourists compared to the regional peers, mainly in terms of accommodation and food. The Minister said he expects the challenge of raising the income from Tourism will be overcome in five years.