Ceylon Finance Today: Hotel rooms which were a mere 1,200 when the then State Minister J.R. Jayewardene, regarded as the father of Sri Lanka tourism, took over the development of the industry 50 years ago, has now increased to 33,426, covering both the formal and informal sectors.
Tourism Minister John Amaratunga speaking at a function in Colombo on Monday (30 November) said that the industry plans to have 45,000 rooms on stream by 2018 and four million tourists by 2020.
He said that by the current year end, Sri Lanka would have had received 1.8 million tourists for the calendar year. The target for next year is two million tourists. On the allegedly contentious issue of the tourism development levy (TDL) being withdrawn as per a 'Budget 2016' proposal, he said that he and his ministry representatives will try to sort this matter out with the Finance Minister.
Amaratunga in his speech assured the industry that the informal hotel sector would be regulated by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority by June of next year.
He also said that skilled personnel were a dire need for the industry. Ceylon Hotels School recently conducted a programme targeting school leavers in Anuradhapaura. This programme will be replicated in Hambantota this weekend, by targeting to enrol 100 youth to the tourism sector from this district.
The occasion was the fiftieth anniversary celebrations of The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka.(PGA)
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Tourism Minister John Amaratunga speaking at a function in Colombo on Monday (30 November) said that the industry plans to have 45,000 rooms on stream by 2018 and four million tourists by 2020.
He said that by the current year end, Sri Lanka would have had received 1.8 million tourists for the calendar year. The target for next year is two million tourists. On the allegedly contentious issue of the tourism development levy (TDL) being withdrawn as per a 'Budget 2016' proposal, he said that he and his ministry representatives will try to sort this matter out with the Finance Minister.
Amaratunga in his speech assured the industry that the informal hotel sector would be regulated by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority by June of next year.
He also said that skilled personnel were a dire need for the industry. Ceylon Hotels School recently conducted a programme targeting school leavers in Anuradhapaura. This programme will be replicated in Hambantota this weekend, by targeting to enrol 100 youth to the tourism sector from this district.
The occasion was the fiftieth anniversary celebrations of The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka.(PGA)
www.ceylontoday.lk
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