Sri Lanka aims for high end tourists under Megapolis plan

Dec 02, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will streamline its tourist industry and move towards attracting high end visitors through the Megapolis and Western Province development programme, Minister Champika Ranawaka said.

“While developing IT led innovation towns from Homagama to Malambe under the Megapolis project we have also chosen Aluthgama to be converted into a high-end tourist attraction zone,” Champika Ranawaka, minister of Western Province and Megapolis Development said.

“After this we will move on to the Deduwa area which has already singled out and continue on the South coast all the way up to Mirissa.

” This project will be done in co-ordination with the Urban Development and Southern Development Authorities, he said. The Minister made these comments at an event held to gather public consensus on the Western Province and Megapolis project in Colombo recently. The Dedduwa tourism area has many natural attractions such as inland lakes wetlands, flora and fauna, diverse biodiversity, eco-systems, beaches, temples, villages, cultural activities and paddy and cinnamon cultivation. The Conceptual Plan has identified tourism activities such as, boating, fishing, bird watching, cycling, camping, golf, nature or village walks, agro-tourism and water sports and the proposed tourism facilities include, water bungalows, chalets, floating rooms, camping tents, observation tower or decks, cinnamon museum, amusement park, floating restaurants, ayurvedhic spa and souvenir shops. Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals rose 11.





9 percent to 115,467 in June 2015 from a year earlier while in the year to June, arrivals were up 14.1 percent to 830,051 from the year before, data shows.

India, Sri Lanka top market was up by 29.9 percent to 25,860 while arrivals from China up 85.

6 percent to 15,487. Visitors from Western Europe were up 19.

7 percent to 27,766.