FCCISL holds Key Persons Forum in Trinco
It is the third session of the Key Persons Forum series held, at Chaaya Blu, Trincomalee recently, headed by Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana. Hafiz Nazeer Ahamed, Minister of Agriculture, Animal Production, Rural Industries and Tourism of Eastern Provincial Council also participated in the forum themed, ‘Tourism industry in Sri Lanka, growth, strategies and future prospects’. The forum was organised by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) and Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Trincomalee District. The Asia Foundation under its Local Economic Governance Programme, which is funded by the Australian International Agency for Development (AusAID) is supporting to bring KPF in to the regions.
The forum was attended by more than 100 participants compromising hoteliers, travel agents, service providers, small scale suppliers attached to the tourism industry and governmental representatives. Kumar Mallimaratch, President, FCCISL delivered the welcome speech and Nalin Attygalle, CEO/NPD took part as the moderator of the forum. V. Kalaichelvan, President, Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Trincomalee District, Chulanthe Jayasuriya, Senior Technical Advicer from Asia Foundation were among the other VIPs. Speaking at the forum, minister said that the Tourism in Pasikuda area ceased with the violence of the terrorists and now being revived with the facilities provided by the government for investors. According to the minister numbers of projects have been launched by the Tourism Development authority in the Pasikuda area and most of them are at operational level now.
Construction of two hotels has already been completed and many more are to be operational by beginning of the next year. It is expected to complete the number of hotel rooms by end of 2013. He also mentioned that Trincomalee is not exposed to the development as Pasikuda. Trincomalee has one of the finest natural deep-water harbors in the world and is home to fine beaches of Nilaveli, Uppaveli and offshore Pigeon Island. Also Trincomalee is among the most ethnic melting city in Sri Lanka. The population is split almost equally between Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims. Downtown Trincomalee occupies a peninsula which extends between two natural harbours. The massive Kottiyar Bay is one of the world’s best deepwater ports and has made the city an important center of commerce. Just north of downtown, the beaches of Uppuveli and Nilaveli are the tourist hotspot. Trincomalere starts emerging as one of the best tourist destinations in the country.
The minister said that the set tourism strategy which was launched in 2011, targeting all aspects of tourism sector development up to 2016. The government is making a concerted effort together with the industry towards sustaining the boom in the tourism industry. Under this the home stay programme launched to provide more interactive facilities for tourists, added 143 units in 2011 and expected to increase the number of units to 500 by 2012 including hotels, boutique hotels, boutique villas, home stay units, guest houses and heritage homes. He also said that Vakarei and Pulmudei are proposed to develop. It is affirmed that the segment of whale watching is among the top growing. According to the minister, the Budget has been continued to allocate from the 2013 Budget also in order to develop the intra road network.