Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said yesterday (15) that there was a mutual relationship between road infrastructure and tourism development as the latter could not be improved without a proper road network in the country.

Speaking during a meeting held at the Ministry of Highways, the Minister said that due to the absence of roads, or the poor condition of the existing roads and the low level of road safety, in some tourist destinations there might be a decrease in tourist traffic. That meant a developed tourism should be preceded by a developed road infrastructure.

The Minister said that the tourism industry was a main revenue generator for Sri Lanka. Today, the impacts of road infrastructure on tourism and vice versa were more visible than ever before. The road network in all areas should be improved in an expedited manner to cater to the needs of the tourism industry when it picked up soon again after ongoing pandemic situations and relaxing of some health regulations.

Minister Fernando directed Secretary to the Ministry R.W.R. Pemasiri to provide a detailed report on the conditions of roads connecting the airports, the main cities and major tourist attractions such as the famous beaches, historic places, waterfalls, jungles and forests. Tourism influences road infrastructure through intensive construction and modernisation of the road network, increase and modernisation of means of transport, increase in the number of passengers and goods, as well as the introduction of new forms of transport organisation. The development of road infrastructure in tourism affects the mastery of long distances, reducing the duration of travel for tourist purposes.

Minister Fernando said that through a developed road network, it was possible to physically own long distances from markets in the origin-destination relationship, so the destination through a quality road network became easier to access, better organised and more attractive, better positioned, and the most famous.

Among those present at the meeting were Chairman of the Road Development Authority Chaminda Athaluwage and Director General of the RDA Sardha Weerakoon.