President wants new approach to promote tourism; Refers to Anuradhapura Era tourism promotion

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has called on the tourism sector to think differently and increase the number of tourists to 2.5 million in the upcoming year, subsequently expanding on this figure.

He was speaking at the 58th Annual General Meeting of The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) held in Colombo.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe  acknowledged the need to move beyond the existing framework and embrace competition to elevate Sri Lanka’s standing in the global tourism market.

"Let's promote tourism fully. That means we have to move out of the present framework. We have to compete," she said during the event, adding that though Sri Lanka attracted a healthy figure of 1.5 million tourists, hoteliers must work to increase that figure to 2.5 million next year, and expand it further. 

Referencing historical practices during the Anuradhapura period, he highlighted the early roots of tourism in Sri Lanka and encouraged a nuanced approach to promotion.

"You must remember, tourism was not something that was new to us. It was there even during the Anuradhapura period. Anuradhapura even had a red-light district. Because when you come by ship from one monsoon, you cannot go back till the other monsoon. So what do you do in between? In their own way they worked out what tourism has to be. I'm not advocating that at all. Otherwise, we'll have a lot of people picketing outside my office tomorrow. I am giving an idea on how they did it. People came to climb Siripada long ago; obviously, we have promoted ourselves well. If we are to promote ourselves, the key is hospitality," elaborated the President. 

The President highlighted the potential for collaboration with expatriates to enhance the industry further. Drawing attention to the success of boutique hotels initiated around 2003-2004, he underscored the significance of niche markets, citing golf tourism as an example.

He noted that Colombo will also be developed into a tourism area all the way to Independence square.

The President went on to note that an offer was received for the development of the Bogambara Prison in Kandy for a new hotel school.

Addressing the issue of minimum rates, President Wickremesinghe advocated for a shift towards higher rates, emphasizing the need for a quality product that justifies the cost. He encouraged the industry to think beyond conventional constraints and embrace a new mindset for achieving the ambitious target of 5 million tourists, said the President's Media Division in a statement.