Mr. Gunaratna of Sri Lankan newspaper (Island) writes that Sri Lanka has more to offer the tourist than Maldives. Below is an extract from his story, which you can read at http://www.island.lk/2009/01/19/business2.html
"The tourism industry in Sri Lanka will bounce back and we have the potential to become a top destination in the region," an optimistic Anura Dewapura, the new General Manager of Mount Lavinia Hotel said. Sri Lanka has more to offer the tourist than Maldives but we need to reposition our product he said. The tourism authorities in the country will have to launch a massive promotional campaign world wide about what we have to offer and that Sri Lanka is a safe place to visit the veteran hotelier said.
We have the ability to compete with other top destinations (like the Maldives) but will have to improve our service, product, industry standards and provide value for money he said adding that to achieve this all stakeholders will have to make a concerted effort. Our product is diverse, we have the beaches (as shown in the picture here), the hills, we offer eco tourism, adventure tourism, health tourism and its an ideal location for weddings and honeymooners, those keen on religious tourism or historical sites the list is so vast he explained.
Sri Lankan investors now control about twenty percent of our resort beds now. If we include the travel agencies, this percent would be even higher. With this experience, they could overtake Maldives which is very limited in scope! Sri Lankan product is more diverse and we have just the beaces.
ReplyDeleteTo cope with this we could try to diversify our product to include:
1. Educational Tourism
2. Medical Tourism
3. Old People's Retirement Tourism
4. Time Sharing Apartment Resorts
5. Luxury and Middle Class Condominiums
6. Sports Tourism (surfing, cricket, football, etc.)
And we could make our museum more interesting. We could also develop and open historical sites all over the country, for tourists with better accessibility. We could also develop domestic toursim and encourage our people to travel internally instaed of going to Colombo every weekend or short holiday!
bushry is VERY GOOD at diverting our attention from failings of this government to other unnecessary things around us. is he paid for this job? state minister for diversion and blog entertainment?!
ReplyDeletebushry r u taking the piss? education tourism? medical tourism? what a load of rubbish! r u forgetting we fail to provide proper medical treatment and education to our own people? pfffff
ReplyDeleteheheheehhehehe
ReplyDeleteBush, can you ask Barak Obama if he can be our president for a week?
ReplyDeleteobma also has rejected White house, probably he will stay at Hilaaleege
ReplyDelete