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Ex-Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism tells govt. not to put cart before horse
Attempting to boost tourist arrivals without enhancing domestic production will only create further problems in the country, Dr. Rohantha Athukorala, the former Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism and Sri Lanka Export Development Board, has said.
Taking part in a television interview, Athukorale said that Sri Lanka hoped to attract five million tourists by 2030 and out of that 2.5 million were expected to be high-end tourists.
“We need to look at the bigger picture. We must see the role tourism will play in the bigger picture of the country’s development. In the current situation, we have a shortage of food; for example we don’t have enough eggs. 75 percent of the people have reduced their food bill so their kids can go to school. On top of that we expect to get 1.5 million tourists this year,” he said.
When a country skews itself toward one particular industry, it suffers with regard to other aspects. In such a situation, organized groups come in and see how they can exploit that industry, Dr. Athukorala said. This is manifest in certain groups that harass tour guides and their clients, and groups of taxi drivers who prevent other drivers from booking apps.
“We have to balance tourism with production. If we produce enough, we can guarantee essentials for people and products that many tourists need at a reasonable cost. Otherwise, let’s say we achieve the target of five million tourists in 2030 without boosting our agriculture. Then either tourists will consume a significant portion of our food or we will have to increase imports drastically. Then, instead of having 75 percent of the people who have reduced their food bill, so their kids can go to school, we will have 90 percent of such people”.
Dr. Athukorala said that authorities must also take steps to convince people that they, too, have a role in ensuring the success of tourism. While there is a global marketing campaign going on to attract tourists, people must be taught that they should behave in a way that keeps the promise we have communicated.
“Tourism is a goose that lays golden eggs. We have to behave in a way that wants to make people come back,” he said. He said that following the global pandemic, where people were stuck at home, there has been a massive increase in people travelling. Sri Lanka has benefited greatly from this. However, moving ahead, the country needs to develop the strategies and infrastructure to receive the tourists.
“65 percent of tourists who come to the country go to the Temple of the Tooth. During the Kandy Perahera, which attracts thousands of tourists, there is a shortage of toilets. Look at Ella, a hot destination, and there are no public toilets for tourists.
“The private sector, who makes the money from tourists, must step up and build the toilets. They also need to understand the need to build up infrastructure. If not, there will be so many bad reviews in the coming years, and that will even hurt the high-end tourist traffic that we want to attract,” he said.
News
Cabinet aporives recruitment of Nursing Instructors for Nursing Schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media on Contract Basis
There are 17 nursing schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media including the postgraduate primary nursing school.
There are 142 vacancies in the posts of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education) as on 31.03.2026 in those schools while 24 officers are to be promoted to the special grade on 31.12.2025 owing to the vacancies existing in the post of Special
Grade Nursing Officer (Education). Therefore, the number of vacancies is to be 166.
In addition, there are 24 vacancies in the post of Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education).
Although at present action has been taken to upgrade the nursing schools to nursing colleges and upgrade the nursing diploma course to nursing degree course, no action has been taken so far to carry out recruitment for the training relevant to the appointment for the post of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education).
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to recruit retired nursing instructors and nursing instructors who served in the nursing schools belonging to the three armed forces and are retired or have resigned legitimately from service to the post of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education) on contract basis.
Latest News
Signing agreement for the establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility in Sri Lanka
It has been decided to establish a BIMSTEC technology transfer facility in Sri Lanka by entering into a Host Country Agreement at the second leaders’ summit of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) held in New Delhi, India, in 2008, with the objective of enhancing regional cooperation.
The relevant cooperation agreement was signed by the member countries at the 5th BIMSTEC summit on 30-03-2022 in Colombo.
The prime objective of this technology transfer facility is to provide technology, capacity building, and management of intellectual property for the micro, small, and medium-scale
enterprises of the BIMSTEC member countries.
According to the cooperation agreement, an agreement should be entered into between Sri Lanka, as the host country, and BIMSTEC Secretariat for formalizing the legal status, privileges, and immunities of the technology transfer facility.
The drafted agreement has received the relevant institutional approval and legal clearance.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Science and Technology to sign the proposed agreement.
News
The cabinet approves agreement on mutual legal cooperation in criminal matters between the Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea
Approval has been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 11-12-2023 to sign an agreement between the Republic of Korea and the Government of Sri Lanka regarding mutual cooperation
in criminal matters.
However, according to the aforementioned approval, the relevant agreement could not be signed between both parties.
Through this agreement, opportunities will be provided
for mutual assistance to other countries in handing over judicial documents and collecting evidence for the use of criminal case matters.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution provided by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to sign an agreement between the Republic of Korea and the Government of Sri Lanka to cooperate in criminal matters.
Cabinet aporives recruitment of Nursing Instructors for Nursing Schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media on Contract Basis
Signing agreement for the establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility in Sri Lanka
The cabinet approves agreement on mutual legal cooperation in criminal matters between the Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea
Misbah-ul-Haq resigns as Pakistan selector after Test squad upheaval
Amendment of the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance No. 3 of 1897
Cabinet approves donation of USD One Million to the Government of Nepal
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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