Arugam. Tourism diversifies

Coastal tourism, a main attraction among overseas tourists

Tourism industry diversified for rural uplift

Ariya Rubasinghe

Sri Lanka is popular for attracting foreigners since ancient times. Marco Polo described Sri Lanka as a??the finest island for its size in all the worlda??. Tourism has become the most vibrant sector of Sri Lanka following the end of war. Tourist arrivals have increased immensely providing a huge boost to the countrya??s economic growth. Following the end of the war upto January end, nearly 400,000 tourists have visited Sri Lanka. It is targeted to attract 1.5 million tourists by the end of this year and the year 2011 has been declared a??Visit Sri Lanka Yeara??.

The Governmenta??s vision is to make Sri Lanka the foremost leisure destination in the South Asian region. Sri Lanka is planning to promote its attractions during the 2011 World Cup scheduled to be held in February and March 2011.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has launched several programs to promote the industry, thereby divert tourism which was confined to the urban areas for the benefit of villagers and make village folk a valuable partner in the tourist industry.

The Authority will establish several tourist rest projects similar to the one in Bentota throughout the island on private public partnership basis. They will be set up in Mannar, Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kalpitiya, Pasikudah and Kuchchaveli. In addition the Authority will also establish Comfort Villages especially on roads leading to Northern and Eastern provinces, in places such as Mihintale, Medawachchiya Junction, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Vellankerni, Mankulam, Habarana, Trincomalee and Polonnaruwa.

Comfort Villages is a new concept by which the Tourism Development Authority envisages to provide all amenities, such as wash rooms, car parks, meal areas, sales outlets for foreign and local tourists visiting the newly opened areas in the North and the East. It seeks to strengthen the economy of the people of the area by making them to participate in the operation of these facilities such as restaurants and sale outlets.

Kalpitiya Integrated Tourism Resort Project

The Kalpitiya Integrated Resort Development Project (KITRP) is Sri Lankaa??s biggest tourism development project that offers investors an ideal opportunity to invest in a high yield tourist attraction activities. The area covered by the resort project amounts to four to 5000 acreas and stretches to about 18 km.

The Tourist Development Authority has acquired 14 islands in the Puttalam district comprising Kalpitiya, the three Vellai islands, Ippantivu, Eramativu, Kakativu, Periya Arachchial, Sinna Arachchial, Sinna Eramativu and Eramativu West, Battalangunduwa and Uchchimunai.

The proposed hotel at Vellai will provide golf, water sports, dolphin watching and other facilities.

Also the tourists coming to this resort will be able to visit the Wilpattu National Park which was reopened recently after being kept closed for several years because of the terrorist problem.

Passikudah Resort

The Passikudah Resort was a popular tourist destination amongst both foreign and local tourists prior to 1983. Bordered by the Passikudah Bay and spanning to 150 acres, the resort was planned to accommodate 500 rooms.

The Authority will revive this resort and a 100 acre resort area has been reserved for construction of several hotels.

Investors have been selected and their proposals to construct around 500-700 rooms are currently being evaluated. The exact number of rooms is likely to depend on the capacity of the beach area. 50 acres has been reserved for recreational facilities and common amenities.

The resort will offer many other things Canoeing, pleasure boating, wind surfing, sport fishing, banana boat riding, horse riding, squash, lawn tennis, scuba diving and whale watching to the tourists.

Kuchchavelli

In the Trincomalee district, nearly 600 acres in stretch of eight km has been identified for tourism development purposes. The land borders the beach and is situated in the village of Kuchchaveli, north of the Nilaveli beach.

The Kuchchaveli resort will provide a wide range of land and water based activities. The private sector has expressed keen interest and enthusiasm in developing Kuchchaveli and 3,000 to 5,000 rooms would be in operation by 2016. The Kuchchaveli resort planned as a a??Green Integrated Resorta?? is focusing on sustainable development.

The Urban Development Authority has prepared a zoning plan to identify suitable locations for different categories of tourism facilities, such as hotels, guesthouses, conference facilities and locations for recreational activities. Undeveloped areas will be landscaped with endemic plants, creepers and trees.
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Hingurakgoda Water Bubble

Sri Lanka is blessed with several underground rivers and the Water Bubble sprouting at Hingurakgoda is emerging from one such river. It has been splashing water throughout the year even during extreme droughts despite water being used from this spring for irrigation purposes. The Tourist Development Authority plans to develop this spring as a bathing spot for tourists and get the people in the area to operate auxiliary services and strengthen their economic conditions.

Liptona??s Seat – Haputale

This is one of the most attractive scenic spots in Sri Lanka located in Haputale off Dambetenne Road. Anyone visiting this place will enjoy the scenic beauties of five provinces of Sri Lanka, Uva, Southern, Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern Provinces from this location.

The Authority is constructing a rotating pavilion in this location enabling tourists to view the surrounding areas.
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Mulkirigala Temple Site

This ancient temple is situated on a rock area similar to Sigiriya and the Tourist Development Authority is renovating this site as an alternative site to Sigiriya as Sigiriya has become non-accessible on certain periods due to waspas attacks.

With the development projects in the Hambantota district and is being Kataragama and the Yala National Park in the proximity this location will become attractive to tourists.

Panadura Beach Project

The Panadura Beach has become a beach area fascinating tourists and locals who look for rest and recreation similar to Galle Face Green, Colombo. The Authority jointly with the Coast Conservation Authority is developing the area, to provide tourists facilities and security and protection needed. The development work will include access roads, providing bathing facilities, construction of a police post, and a watchtower with life saving facilities.

Community Tourism Villages

The project aims to focus tourism to traditional cottage level industries in various parts such as lace and beeralu weaving, wooden artifacts and pottery industry in Kapparatota, Weligama, brass, silver and jewelry products in Utuwana, Mawanella, Batik, brass, metal and wooden artifacts in Nattarampota, Kundasale, paper based products at Puwakpitiya and Laggala. Facilities for tourists in these villages will be constructed and arrangements are being made to market their products to tourists.

Bio diversity projects

Around 13 percent of the Sri Lankaa??s land area is conserved as national parks, reserves, sanctuaries and jungle corridors. There are 14 national parks in Sri Lanka. All the parks are now open to public and many parks offer safari tours.

Water sports

Sri Lanka is opulent with many places in the blue water sea that surrounds the island with over 1,330 km of coast and in major rivers for water sports. These include rafting in many rivers, whale and dolphin watching in Mirissa, Trincomalee and Kalpitiya, surfing at Hikkaduwa, Mirissa and Arugam Bay. Prime sites for wind surfing, water skiing, speed boating and banana-boating are located in the Negombo region of the West Coast and numerous places in the Southern coast. The ship a??Jetlinera?? formerly used for humanitarian efforts can accommodate 600 passengers and 150 cars, can be hired for tourism related activities and for weekend cruises.

Amenities available onboard include a banquet area for 250 guests, mini conference facilities for 50 participants, and ballroom facilities for 100 guests with exclusive bar facilities. It has an observational salon, which accommodates 50 guests and a deck area with a holding capacity of 250.

(The writer is Director General Media Centre for National Development)

http://www.dailynews.lk/2010/03/03/fea01.asp

2 Responses to “Arugam. Tourism diversifies”


  • Surfing is of course a very nice hobby and sports. i always want to go surfing during the summer specially when the surfs are very high. :;’*.

    Kindest regards

  • There are a few places I have not yet seen in the article. e.g. Hingurakgoda and Kuchchaveli

    Tks for the post!

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