Sri Lanka to spin around in 5 years

A sleeping beauty and the Dubai of Asia - that’s what they call Sri Lanka today citing the numerous sights and sounds it has to offer the discerning traveller but potential for growth has been envisaged as above what the country achieves today.

The Asia Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference (AHTIC) that kicked off in Colombo on Monday opened with the Tourism Minister John Amaratunga projecting the country’s target of being Years of Investment and Years of Prosperity for tourism from 2017-19.

The government has plans to identify these years as those for tourism investment, he said addressing the morning sessions.

Asia has today become the largest tourist paradise and Sri Lanka is aiming at attracting 5 million tourists by 2020 with 300,000 additional rooms and investment worth over US$10 million.

World Travel and Tourism Council Chairman Gerald Lawless noted that globally tourism was 9.8 per cent of GDP and comprised 6 per cent of global exports and that its investment base was around $800 billion.

The industry has been able to attract over 280 million jobs worldwide and the industry was growing at a rate of 3.5 per cent in 2016 according to forecasts.

Tourism has contributed to 11 per cent of the growth of the Sri Lankan economy, he explained adding that this sector has generated about 800,000 jobs and was attracting 2 million visitors to the island nation.

China today has become the largest source markets for tourist travel with over 100 million outbound travelers touring the globe annually, Mr. Lawless said.

He highlighted the importance of spending on training local talent required to man the new hotels opening in the country including the development focus on infrastructure.

Mr. Lawless noted that Sri Lanka is being marketed as a high value destination but he pointed out that in the use of modern electronic travel under the electronic visa system he queried whether the charge of $35 per person was not too high compared to other destinations in the region.

Commenting on the global threat to security of travelers in the wake of the recent terror attacks, he pointed out that governments, security and the tourism industry need to work together to ensure that they would be able to ensure safe travel to visitors.

As Head of Dubai Holding, Mr. Lawless believes Sri Lanka could turnaround within five years which is sufficient time “to see things come in.”

Being seen at all the conferences and travel fairs is considered important to branding Sri Lanka and get people talking about the country, he said.

He noted that Sri Lanka could become the Dubai of Asia with good policymakers in place and a President that understands the industry.

And with an educated workforce, it is believed that Sri Lanka could use its potential as a unique selling point, he explained.

“Sri Lanka was a sleeping beauty,” the Movenpick Hotels and Resorts Middle East and South Asia Chief Operating Officer Andreas Mattmuller said adding that they spotted the opportunity on the island once