Continued growth expected following peaceful election: Sri Lanka Tourism

25 September 2024 07:15 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 7 Bookmark

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Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is anticipating continued growth following the recent presidential election, widely regarded as one of the most peaceful in the nation’s history, Sri Lanka Tourism said.

Newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has prioritised the sector, pledging to unlock its full potential.

This commitment, coupled with proactive initiatives from industry leaders, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), are bolstering confidence in the island’s tourism offerings, these institutions said.

“We are confident in achieving even greater heights and offering travellers an unparalleled experience.
“Beyond our renowned natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and world-famous hospitality, we are actively developing new and enhanced tourism offerings. As Sri Lanka embarks on this exciting new chapter, the message is clear to global explorers: Come back for more and experience the difference our island offers,” said SLTPB Chairman Chalaka Gajabahu.

Meanwhile Priantha Fernando, Chairman of the SLTDA noted that the main objective is to develop Sri Lanka Tourism on a sustainable platform, ushering benefits to the community and focusing on the development of regional tourism.”

He also emphasised the need to support the industry to recover from the financial burden it is currently facing.

Sri Lanka is further taking concrete steps to welcome more visitors. Visa-free travel for citizens of 39 countries will begin in October, and the tourism industry is optimistic about the reinstatement of the streamlined Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system pending a court decision.

According to the heads of the two entities, these initiatives have the tourism authorities confident in reaching its target of 2.3 million tourist arrivals in 2024.

Sri Lanka’s appeal as a top-tier destination is well-documented. CEOWORLD magazine ranked it fifth among the list of ‘World’s Best Countries to Visit in Your Lifetime 2024, while Forbes Magazine ranked it the fourth most popular destination for solo travellers in 2024.

TripAdvisor also recognised Colombo, the nation’s vibrant commercial hub, as the seventh-best in the ‘Culture Destinations – World’ category of its Travellers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best 2024. With a renewed focus on hospitality and accessibility, Sri Lanka is poised to welcome a new wave of travellers eager to experience its unique charm.

Comments - 7

Ram P Wednesday, 25 September 2024 10:29 AM

Please fix the visa issues to keep the continuous growth in tourism

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DLL Gunasekera Wednesday, 25 September 2024 12:19 PM

Peaceful election and smooth transmission of power indeed great plus points for our tourist industry. We all are very proud of that. But as world traveller I would say without improving the standard of service , the most visitors won’t come to sri Lanka twice. As example at the moment in Thailand , about 70 % visitors are not new comers. Beat advertisement for the industry with zero costs.

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Tissa Fernando Wednesday, 25 September 2024 07:20 PM

Thailand is mainly for sex tourism. They have attractive fair skin females who are engaged in this trade. Many go there for the second time to enjoy that. Vietnam is also same. So , here we do not have such attractive women and even if we had our culture does not allow such mass scale prostitution and our women are not that desperate. However, we can get good quality family tourists by developing our existing attractions. Learn from UAE, get advice from Professor Udaya Indrarathne current ambassador in UAE . He is a patriot who will give his best to the country. You have to come out of NPP cheap mentality to approach this sector.

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Sokrates Wednesday, 25 September 2024 12:19 PM

The new government can only provide the framework for better tourism management. However, the tourism industry is largely rotten from within. Tour guides and drivers ruthlessly cheat tourists, not to mention the 3-wheel drivers. Restaurants and guesthouses exploit tourists with excessive prices (special menus and accommodation fees only for foreigners). Star class hotels have poorly trained staff and the food is far from international standards. Sexual assault on female tourists is increasing. Even a new president cannot eradicate the immense greed of Sri Lankans involved in tourism.

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Tissa Fernando Wednesday, 25 September 2024 06:32 PM

Most of them you mentioned are NPP supporters. So , do you expect them to change their earning habits and become honest overnight. Once the General Election is done, you will see the real JVP in action.

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Arthur Wednesday, 25 September 2024 12:43 PM

So now a general election in November? This means the visa issue will not be fixed till after then. Kiss goodbye to this winters high season. We will not be queuing for hours for visa on arrival after a long haul flight. This year we will go to a destination that welcomes us snd that will not be Sri Lanka.

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Punchi Thursday, 26 September 2024 04:54 AM

After 75 years of independence from foreign rule we are still dependent on tourist income from Europeans and foreigners to fund our economy

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