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Sri Lankan`s Tourism sector invests $ 10 b
Monday, 12 July 2010 - 9:56 AM SL Time
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Sri Lanka s tourism sector is gearing to face the increase of tourist arrivals by investing US$ 10 billion to enhance the room capacity and upgrade the hotels. It is necessary to carry out brand building and image enhancement activities. Brand development is needed to improve credibility, dependability, believability and acceptability in the minds of the tourists, Jetwing Hotels Ltd Chairman Hiran Cooray said.
He was speaking at a seminar on currant development and future prospects in the tourism sector organized by Acuity Stock Brokers (Pvt) Ltd held last week in Colombo.
Approximately 2,000-3,000 new hotel rooms will be constructed during 2010.
The country aims to add approximately 20,000 hotel rooms in the next six years to cater to the anticipated boom in tourism.
The Tourism Development Authority has already approved the construction of new hotels in Passekudah and Batticaloa to promote eastern beaches as a tourist destination. Further, new zones which are being developed as tourist hotel sites are, Kuchchaveli north of the eastern port and five islands in Kalpitiya, which would be similar to the Maldives.
As developing tourism related infrastructure facilities, the Government plans to build a domestic airport at Uchchamunai, an under-water amusement park in Kandakkuliya, a golf course in Dutch Bay, a race course and a cricket ground in Kalpitiya. Fishing Tourism, Leisure Tourism and Ayurvedic Tourism are some of the concepts the Government is planning to implement to attract the global appeal.
For the year 2009 the tourism sector enjoyed total earnings of nearly Rs 40,133 million which is equivalent to US$ 350 mn an increase of 8 percent over 2008. Also with higher post war rate structure expected after November 2010, annual earnings should surpass US$ 500 million.
Global tourist arrivals Growth
* 438 million in 1990
* 684 million in 2000
* 922 million in 2008
Regional growth
* All the regions have shown growth rates less than 4 percent
* Middle East reached a growth rate in excess of 15 percent in 2008
The occupancy rates of the hotels which were mainly hit by the three decade of war saw a remarkable growth subsequent to May 2009. The overall occupancy rate hit an average of 48.4 percent in 2009 when compared with the corresponding period of 43 percent. Further the occupancy rates hit an all time high for the first three months of 2010 at an average of 82 percent.
The average spending per tourist decreased to US $ 728.6 in 2008 showing a decrease of 7.8 percent as compared to US $ 791 in 2007. However the average spending increased to US $ 781 a 7 percent increase in 2009.
Considering the top ten contributors to Sri Lanka, India continued its position as the top producer in 2008 and 2009, though the arrivals from India decreased by 2 percent in absolute terms. UK retained its second position with an increase of 263 tourists in 2009. The top five contributors in 2008, who were India, UK, the Maldives, Germany and Australia were able to retain its position in 2009 as well. Remarkable growth of 19 percent was evident from Australia compared to the corresponding year. France which occupied the ninth position in 2008 moved to sixth position with a drastic increase of 50 percent in arrivals.
It is a noteworthy feature that new source markets like Canada and Japan is featuring in the list. Meanwhile, Japan which was dropped from the list in 2008 has come back to the top ten arrivals as a result of the Japanese Government relaxing their travel advisories on Sri Lanka.
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NCWIJ
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 12 Jul 2010 13:27:11 GMT Report for Abuse
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Great Words Mr.Cooray-Image building- followed by credibility-dependability-beievability etc.But with Ministers like Weerawansa who openly call the people to attack an International Organisation set up for peace-and further giving us all the assistance needed to develop our Country-in the Education sector-in the Health sector etc-10 billion will go down the drain.How long have we been in Tourism-Ofcourse we had 30 years of civil war and enough and more terror that kept the Tourists away from this country. Now we have state sponsored terrorism-
Look at the growth rates of Maldives-Goa-or even hardly developed tourist destinations-We have enough and more to offer-Image building is the responsibility of those in Power first to showcase to the world that we are a peace loving nation-That is the main ingeredient |
kiwikanga
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 13 Jul 2010 07:29:48 GMT Report for Abuse
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But with Ministers like Weerawansa who openly call the people to attack an International Organisation...........10 billion will go down the drain
The whole world is aware of the jokers in the present government, BUT I reckon tourists are not bothered whether a country is run by jokers or statesmen as long as it is safe for tourists to go anywhere in the country and take in whatever the country has to offer by way of it's hospitality industry and all importantly by way of nature which is known the world over.
Edited By - kiwikanga - 13 Jul 2010 07:33:02 GMT |
kiora
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14 Jul 2010 08:59:21 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Well said when it come to safety courtesy hospitality honesty for the tourist gold standard is set by Sri Lanka. West is only dream about it. Even Singapore fade in to a distance shadow. |
raigamakolla
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14 Jul 2010 09:19:35 GMT Report for Abuse
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Well said when it come to safety courtesy hospitality honesty for the tourist gold standard is set by Sri Lanka. West is only dream about it. Even Singapore fade in to a distance shadow.
But when it comes to cleaniness, it is the worst nightmare. There are no public toilets. The available ones are dirty like pigsty.
Dengue is spreading like bush fire. Roads and gutters have not been cleand for years. Rapes and road accidents are making headlines. Road users are like mad max. Venders are out to overcharge tourists at every corner.
Maldives attract over 1m tourists a year. Singapore attracts over 35m tourists a year. Slanka attracts only about 200,000 tourists a year. Small wonder! |
kiwikanga
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15 Jul 2010 01:52:02 GMT Report for Abuse
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But when it comes to cleaniness, it is the worst nightmare. There are no public toilets. The available ones are dirty like pigsty.
TRUE! It has been that for decades. Not a recent phenomenon is it???? I can never remember Sri Lanka having any reputation of being a 'clean' country famous for honesty etc etc and even then tourists used to come in droves. Why? Because of the hospitality of the people. Because of the attractions nature has to offer.
Even with all the filth, smells, rogues frauds and cheats tourists from all over the world used to come to Sri Lanka until the LTTE made it dangerous and many countries listed Sri Lanka as dangerous.
Now there is no LTTE to cause danger, Sri Lanka has been taken off the dangerous list and tourists are indeed coming back in large numbers inspite of all the dengue, the dishonesty, the filth and lack of public toilets!!
May be western tourists like that type of atmosphere 'for a change'!
Edited By - kiwikanga - 15 Jul 2010 01:55:36 GMT |
saleemtariq
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 15 Jul 2010 12:03:50 GMT Report for Abuse
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The tourists are bothered after the news that the hotel official raped an underage girl and the doctor in charge raped a nurse and killed her in a hospital. The army tried to protect the alleged offender but the protest by the nurses prompted a magistrate to issue an order for his arrest and detain in the police custody.
The influential doctor manipulated the corrupt system and got himself admitted to the intensive care unit of a hospital. This is how the SL institutions let the perpetrators of crimes against the minorities off the hook. |
kiwikanga
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15 Jul 2010 21:32:27 GMT Report for Abuse
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Saleemtariq
This is how the SL institutions let the perpetrators of crimes against the minorities off the hook.
Again twisting facts and giving a distorted version of facts.
Has the doctor been discharged and acquitted and sent home to be a free man???? No charges, no case he goes home scot free?????? Is that what you are trying to say????? BE SPECIFIC.
Edited By - kiwikanga - 15 Jul 2010 21:34:14 GMT |
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