Sri Lanka gaming resorts could add $900mn to tourism revenues: report

July 06, 2013 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's gaming industry could generate 900 million US dollars a year with only two 500-room integrated resorts, upping rates of city hotels, but more support facilities are needed, a research report has said.



A game changing 900,000 tourists could be added within four years to Sri Lanka's current tourist arrivals of one million within four years, a report by CAL Research, an equities research house said.

About 600 dollars per person could also be to gross domestic product assuming a multiplier of 4.

5 helping achieve a 4,000 dollar per capita GDP state a target, the report said.

In 2012 Sri Lanka's entire tourism industry had about a billion US dollars in revenue with one million arrivals.

But a shortfall of 5,000 rooms in the city and 78,000 staff as well as a lack of ancillary entertainment, shopping and dining facilities could keep visitors down.

Sri Lanka is expecting 2.5 million tourists by 2015, but CAL's own projections earlier - without gaming resorts - have been lower.

Each 500-room integrated resort could gross 220 million US dollars after 2016/2017 CAL Research said.

Australia's Crown is expected to start building a 430 room casino resort within the next six months, w