Tourism Fest Kicks Off In Colombo

The Ministry of Tourism Development is working towards creating new entertainment options for tourists visiting the country. According to the Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs, John Amaratunga, ‘Tourism Fest 2015’ is a step where key tourism related entities have combined to offer a unique calendar based event experience.

On the invitation of Minister John Amaratunga, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe officially launched Tourism Fest 2015 on 19 December at the Arcade, Independence Square, by lighting up a giant Christmas tree decked in colours representing all ethnic groups in the country.

Present on the occasion were His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, clergy representing the Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim communities, members of the diplomatic community, the Chairman and board of management of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and private sector representatives.

“This is a historic occasion as it is the first time a state institution has taken the lead in organising a seasonal festival of this nature on this scale. Traditionally the month of December is the peak month for tourist arrivals and festivities, and the idea behind ‘Tourism Fest 2015 with the spirit of Christmas’ is to portray Sri Lankan food, culture, gems, handicrafts, tea, shopping and entertainment at one venue, offering both tourists and Sri Lankans the opportunity of experiencing the best the country has to offer in one place,” said Minister Amaratunga speaking to the media after the launch.

The Tourism Fest which commenced on 19 December will continue till the 23rd.

“The new government has given much importance to the development of tourism in this country. We are working towards the goal of making tourism the number one foreign exchange earner for the country. This is not an unrealistic goal. We are targeting 2 million tourists this year and 2.5 million tourists next year. By 2020 we are looking at welcoming 4 million tourists to the country. If we keep to these targets our goal is well within reach,” said Minister Amaratunga.

“My Ministry has identified a vacuum where Sri Lanka lags behind in celebrating calendar events such as the December festive season. We want to change that. We want tourists to know that the celebrations they may usually have at home in their countries can be celebrated better in this country. This is a new area where we are trying to establish ourselves.While looking to attract new markets we realise the need to customise our tourism product. Towards this end my Ministry is working towards creating new entertainment options for tourists visiting the country,” said Minister Amaratunga.

“It is a common complaint among the travel trade that the lack of events especially in the evenings is a drawback for the entertainment seeking tourist. That is why we have taken the initiative to change this perception by organising calendar based events. Like some of the East Asian countries, we want to be known and identified as a destination for festivities. We have initiated this strategy starting with the Christmas season this year which is a universal celebration. I believe events of this nature will add value to the ‘destination Sri Lanka’proposition,’ added Minister Amaratunga.

“We hope to make this an annual event thereby creating a Sri Lankan sense of celebration while spreading the spirit of the season among tourists, the diplomatic and expat community and most importantly the local community celebrating their holidays with friends and family,”said Minister Amaratunga.

The five day Tourism Fest will feature daily musical shows with popular bands, artistes and orchestras, a food festival showcasing local culinary talent, tea, gem, jewellery, handicrafts and wildlife exhibitions, cultural shows, Christmas carols, fireworks etc. There will be entertainment for children as well. The biggest hotel and restaurant names will feature in a hawker street style dining extravaganza where food and beverage will be made available at concessionary prices.

A novel feature will be ‘Carols On Wheels’ where the Colombo City Tour double decker bus will operate a shuttle service between the leading five-star hotels and the Arcade with live carols on board, each evening until the 23rd of December.

 

Pix by Kithsiri De Mel