President Ranil Wickremesinghe says that in order to modernise government-owned resorts and tourist bungalows and use them to promote tourism, a scheme will be created to draw both domestic and foreign tourists.
During his Monday (13), 2024 Budget Speech in Parliament, he suggested setting aside Rs. 600 million for these development initiatives.
According to the Head of State, Sri Lanka’s tourist sector is improving in the wake of the financial crisis. “Given the geography, climate, and historical legacy of our nation, we must implement several changes in the tourism industry.”
According to him, a new tourism culture should be developed by moving past the conventional roles of offering hotel room rentals, beach access areas, and tours of Sigiriya. This year’s budget proposal has several initiatives that set the groundwork for that, he said.
According to him, a new long-term programme called “Visit Sri Lanka” is anticipated to be implemented in 2024 with the goal of advancing the travel and tourism industry.
“We hope to welcome at least five million visitors to Sri Lanka annually.” The government, provincial councils, and local government organisations need to put in a lot of effort to make this possible. We are also drafting new legislation pertaining to the tourism industry.
He stated that provincial tourist boards are being strengthened in order to fulfil the basic needs of the tourism industry, which are the province councils’ responsibility.
He stated that Rs. 750 million has been set aside for the construction of associated infrastructure and that the Finance Commission provides the Provincial Councils with the appropriate assistance.
According to him, there are around 720 resorts and vacation homes controlled by the government, with a combined capacity of over 3,750 rooms.
Additionally, I suggest creating a programme to modernise government resorts and use them to advertise tourism in order to draw both domestic and foreign visitors. During his budget speech, he stated, “I propose to allocate Rs. 600 million for these development activities.”
Pinnawala- Kithulgala Tourism Corridor
According to Wickremesinghe, the Rambukkana entrance of the Central Motorway is used for the development of a tourist zone, which includes the Kithulgala Water Rafting Area, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, and other nearby tourist attractions.
He stated that the planned Galigamuwa New Town is being marketed as the centre of this tourism area and mentioned that a sum of Rs. 750 million has been set aside to carry out this project as a collaborative programme over a three-year period.
Pooneryn City Development
The President announced that the development of Pooneryn City, a major tourist destination next to the Sangupiddy Bridge on the key Jaffna-Mandar road, will get Rs. 500 million from the government.
