President Ranil Wickremesinghe has announced plans to make Sri Lanka a tourist destination that attracts foreigners, throughout the year.He made the pledge during a meeting with businessmen, from the tourism industry, in the Galle District, on Friday, under the theme “Survival and Overcoming Challenges in the Tourism Industry.”
During the meeting, President Wickremesinghe acknowledged the challenges faced by those in the sector due to the recent economic downturn. However, he reassured the attendees that a programme is being implemented to revitalize the industry.
The President said they have a programme to attract over two million tourists to Sri Lanka per year. The country wants to attract foreigners who are willing to spend 500 U.S dollars per day.
In addition, President Wickremesinghe stressed the importance of better publicity for Sri Lanka to the world. He insisted that the recent Independence Day celebrations showed the world that the country has been stabilised.
The President also noted that tourist numbers had dropped, following the protests in May and June of last year. To attract tourists back to Sri Lanka, he emphasized the need to demonstrate that law and order has been restored in the country.
Overall, the meeting was seen as a positive step towards promoting tourism in the country. The President’s commitment to the industry and his plans to revitalize the sector were welcomed by the attendees, who hope that this will lead to increased investment and growth in the sector.