Tourists who want to postpone travel to Sri Lanka in after the bomb attacks that killed 290 people will not be covered by their travel insurance.
The UK Foreign Office (FCO) updated its travel advice for Sri Lanka on Monday to include details of the nationwide curfew and pending state of emergency.
However, it is unlikely the FCO would issue a warning advising against all travel to Sri Lanka: such warnings area rare and usually region-specific.
Reflecting the increased threat, the FCO's current advice states:
Security has been stepped up across the island and there are ongoing security operations. These may continue for a number of days and the situation remains dynamic.
Please follow the advice of local security authorities, hotel security staff and your tour company. The airport is operating, but with increased security checks and long queues for taxi pick-ups.
Travel policies will not cover cancellations unless the FCO specifically advises against travel to the destination. Travel insurance does not cover disinclination to travel, said a spokesperson for the Association of British Insurers (ABI).
People's best recourse is to go to the holiday company they have booked through to discuss whether they can change their plans.
A traveller to Sri Lanka said: The situation seems to be changing by the hour and we'd hoped the FCO would be able to update its advice more than once a day, but it's obviously a terrible time for their staff, too.
We're mostly just grateful to be safe, but it seems odd that more and more Brits are arriving clueless, even as a state of emergency is announced. We can't make a claim unless the FCO advises against travel, which it hasn't yet done.
UK-based tour operators said normal booking conditions apply but they would consider requests to postpone travel on a case-by-case basis.
Kuoni said its clients flew to Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, the day of the attacks, and Easter Monday, as scheduled. It is in contact with customers at the destination and with local travel agents.
Tuesday will be a national day of mourning, so we are trying to find out whether excursions might be affected, said a spokesperson.
The Experience Travel Group said of six sets of clients travelling this week, only one had asked to postpone their trip. It too is considering requests, case-by-case.
Some airlines are also allowing travellers to amend their bookings. In a statement released on Easter Sunday, Emirates said customers with existing bookings to or from Colombo made on or before 21 April can amend or cancel flights without charge by contacting their booking agent.
The airline is also advising travellers to arrive at the airport at least four hours before departure this week, due to heightened security measures at Colombo Bandaranaike International airport.
A series of eight bombings targeted Christians at church services in Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa and tourists staying in luxury hotels in the capital - killing 290 people, including eight Britons and four US citizens, and injuring 500.
Other countries have issued stricter warnings. The US state department increased its travel advisory level from normal to "exercise increased caution" following the attacks.
In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advised Australians to "reconsider your need to travel and avoid all affected areas".
In recent years, tourism to Sri Lanka has been increasing. This year, Lonely Planet declared it the top country in the world to travel to, citing improved transport links, a rise in the number of hotels , unmissable wildlife experiences and a growing surf scene.
Arrivals of 2.3 million in 2018 represented an increase of more than 400% on 2009, according to Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority data. The agency has a target of 4 million visitors by 2020.
On Monday, an 8pm-4am curfew was imposed. People travelling to or from the airport during the curfew have been told to make sure they have travel documentation with them. The curfew has caused confusion among holidaymakers because of to a social media shutdown .
A holidaymaker said of Sunday's curfew Locals seemed unaware that all food places would close, they were under the impression some stuff would be open and you could go to within walking distance.
Our guesthouse owner ended up coming back to the guesthouse as he lived nearby to cook us dinner as nothing else was open.
In the longer term, the impact will depend on the political response to the bombings.
The country as a whole is really focused on tourism and realises the importance of how secure it is. This will undoubtedly be a big step back, said Nick Pulley, managing director of Selective Asia.
The fact the bombings were quick to become a political issue who had been warned and who hadn't is the question.
The attacks are bound to have an impact, i think if people link this incident to the war years, it will bring back all sorts of bad associations for the country.
I don't think it will harm Sri Lankan tourism long term.
Tourism Observer
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Showing posts with label Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Show all posts
Monday, 6 May 2019
Sunday, 28 May 2017
SRI LANKA: Go Tour Sri Lanka
Tourism in Sri Lanka is growing rapidly. For centuries, Sri Lanka has been a popular place of attraction for foreign travelers. The famous Chinese traveler Fa-Hien arrived in Sri Lanka in the late 4th century. In the twelfth century, Italian explorer Marco Polo claimed that Sri Lanka to be the "best island of its size in the world".In view of its fascinating scenic beauty and rich cultural heritage, Sri Lanka is one of the best tourist destinations in the world.
In 2012, post office worldwide holiday costs barometer named Sri Lanka as the best valued destination for holidays.In 2013 the popular travel guide book Lonely Planet named Sri Lanka as the best travel destination for 2013. According to the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015 Sri Lanka is at 63 out of 141 countries.
The government initiatives in development of tourism date back to 1937 when the Ceylon Tourist Bureau was established. However, it was closed down in September 1939 due to World War II. After Sri Lanka's independence the promotion of tourism was again considered by re-establishing the Ceylon Tourist Board which took over the function of the Tourist Bureau. More formal recognition for the country's tourism sector was given with the enactment of Act No. 10 of 1966.
This provided the legislation for the establishment of Ceylon Tourist Board. Since then the Ceylon Tourist Board has functioned as the state agency, responsible for development and promotion of the tourism sector in Sri Lanka.
In October 2007 according to Section 2 of the Tourism Act No. 38 of 2005, the Sri Lanka Tourist Board (Act No 10 of 1966) was replaced by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
Currently Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has classified Sri Lanka into several resort regions suitable for tourism development.
Colombo and Greater Colombo Resort Region: The Colombo and Greater Colombo Resort Region spreads along the Mount Lavinia in the south to Negambo in the north. Colombo city is the main part of the zone, and is the center for business activities, conferences and sport events in the country. Colombo serves as both a gateway and stopover point for international tourists.
South Coast Resort Region: The south coast zone extends from Wadduwa to Tissamaharama. The zone has been divided into two main regions. The first region extends from Wadduwa to Galle. Coastal areas like Kalutara, Beruwala, Bentota, Dedduwa, Madu Ganga, Balapitiya, Ahungalla, and Hikkaduwa are included in this region. The second region, extending from Galle to Tissamaharama, includes Unawatuna, Koggala, Weligama, Mirissa, Matara, Tangalle and Hambantota areas as sub-points of the zone.
East Coast Resort Region: The East Coast Resort Region extends from Kuchchaveli in the north to Pottuvil in the south. The main tourism zones in this region are Arugam Bay, Pasikudah, Trincomalee and Nilaveli.
West Coast Resort Region: The West Coast Resort Region extends along Kalpitiya, Marawila and Waikkala areas.
High Country Resort Region: Nuwara Eliya, Bandarawela and Maskeliya are included for the High Country Resort Region.
Ancient Cities Resort Region: This region has five world heritage sites, namely Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Kandy, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya. Other regions include Habarana, Giritale, Matale and Victoria.
When the government decided to develop the tourism sector as a separate sector of the country's economy by establishing the Ceylon Tourist Bureau in 1966, there were 18,969 foreign tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka.
There was an upward trend of tourist arrivals until 1982, with the exception of 1971. Between 1976 and 1982, tourist arrivals had increased 24% per year. The tourist traffic in 1982 showed that there was a remarkable growth in number of tourists, with 407,230 arrivals.
However, with the beginning of the civil war in 1983, the growth of tourist arrivals declined and stagnated to around 300,000 - 500,000 arrivals annually.
The civil war that had lasted over 25 years was ended in 2009 as LTTE separatists were defeated by government forces. In 2009 the tourist arrivals numbered 448,000, and in 2015, 1,798,380, showing over 300 percent growth in six years.
There is a significant domestic tourist segment making excursions in Sri Lanka. In 2014 six million Sri Lankans traveled within the country as domestic tourists.
The main purposes of travel by the domestic tourists are pilgrimage, family holiday, study works, and sightseeing. The main destinations of domestic tourists are Anuradhapura, Kataragama, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Sri Pada, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Dambulla. Domestic tourism is noticeable during school vacations and on weekends.
Tourist attractions are classifiable as natural or anthropogenic. Natural attractions include nature spots, flora and fauna, and places with a pleasant climate.
Geotourism sites may also be included in this category. Anthropogenic attractions include archaeological and cultural attractions, historical and religion sites, performing arts and folklore, handicrafts and artifacts.
Despite its small size, Sri Lanka possess high level of biodiversity and wildlife resources, and is rated among the 34 biodiversity hotspots in the world.
Many species of flora and fauna are indigenous to Sri Lanka. This has made the island a country with the highest rates of biological endemism in the world.
13% of Sri Lanka's land surface has been designated as Wildlife Protected Areas (WLPAs) which at present exceeds a total area of 8500 km2.[20] Approximately 7% of the area is national parks, the areas allowed for the public to see and study wildlife. Sri Lanka's national parks have been become popular tourist destinations.
National parks
Adam’s Bridge · Angammedilla · Bundala · Chundikkulam · Delft · Flood Plains · Gal Oya · Galway's Land · Hikkaduwa · Horagolla · Horrowpatana · Horton Plains · Kaudulla · Kumana · Lahugala Kitulana · Lunugamvehera · Madhu Road · Maduru Oya · Minneriya · Pigeon Island · Somawathiya · Udawalawe · Ussangoda · Wasgamuwa · Wilpattu · Yala
Sri Lanka possesses nearly 1600 km coastlines with tropical beaches which are popular among both local and foreign tourists.
Most of the coastlines of the country are studded with varying coastal features such as bays, lagoons, sandbanks, and rocky headlands. Marine recreation activities, such as sea bathing and swimming, surfing, boating, snorkelling, deep-sea fishing, underwater photography, and scuba diving, can be seen at most of these beaches and related resort areas.
Beaches at Tangalle, Beruwala, Mirissa, Bentota, Unawatuna Arugam Bay, Pasikudah, Uppuveli and Negombo are considered as famous tourist beaches in the country.
Sri Lanka has numerous tourist attractions with areas of natural scenic beauty, primarily including mountainous terrains, agricultural landscapes, waterfalls, places with diverse climatic conditions, reservoirs (wewas), and rivers.
The country has six botanical gardens and four Zoological gardens. The botanical gardens are maintained by the Department of National Botanical Gardens,and the zoological gardens are maintained by the Department of National Zoological Gardens.The gardens have become attractive places among local and foreign visitors.
Royal Botanical Gardens
Hakgala Botanical Garden · Henarathgoda Botanical Garden · Mirijjawila Botanical Garden · Seetawaka Botanical Garden · Ganewatta Forest Medicinal Herbal Botanical Garden
National Zoological Gardens
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage · Pinnawala Open Zoo · Ridiyagama Safari Park
Heritage tourism involves visiting historical sites. Sri Lanka is very rich in pre-historic, proto-historic, and historic monuments, which bespeak its ancient civilization and culture.
Mainly Buddhism has influenced in moulding the cultural heritage of the country. The historic period of Sri Lanka proper starts at circa 236 B.C. with the introduction of Buddhism to the country by the missionaries sent by the Indian empire Asoka.
The UNESCO has declared six archaeological and two ecological World Heritage Sites in the country.Beside the world heritage sites the government of Sri Lanka has declared a number of archaeological protected sites and monuments within the country.
Sri Lanka is well known for its rich Buddhist culture as well as other religions. Being a religious country, Sri Lanka has many places with religious and historic significance, which attract tourists from all over the world. Anuradhapura, Temple of the Tooth, Sri Pada, Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu and Kataragama, are a few famous religious sites in the island that attract a large number of tourists.
The foot pilgrimage called Pada Yatra, which is one of Sri Lanka's oldest traditions, has been practiced for centuries, where the local people from Jaffna come along the East Coast to Kataragama shrine.
Sports tourism is defined as either people being involved in, observing or participating in a particular sporting event for leisure.Sri Lanka is also a destination for sports such as cricket, rugby, golf and surfing. Except for cricket, the contribution to the tourism sector from other sports are still at a very low level. Apart from mainstream sports events, adventure sports are also included in sports tourism.
Trekking, hiking, diving, rock climbing, deep sea fishing, whale watching and hot air ballooning are some of the adventure sports those can be found in Sri Lanka.
Cultural tourism includes tourism in urban areas, particularly historic or large cities and their cultural facilities such as museums and theatres.
Museums and theatres
Currently four national museums and 26 archaeological museums[34] have been established in Sri Lanka. National museums are maintained by the Department of National Museums and archaeological museums by the Department of Archaeology. Beside the museums a large number of theatres also can be found in Sri Lanka.
Festivals
Sri Lanka is a multi-cultural country with several different festivals celebrated by various communities. Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations, Vesak Festival, Christmas, Ramadan festival, Thai Pongal, and the Galle Literary Festival are a few of the major festivals.
Performing arts
There are three main traditional dance forms in Sri Lanka: Kandyan dancing, low country dancing, and Sabaragamuwa dancing. Though not unique to Sri Lanka, 'Bharatanatyam', which originated from India is also popular in Sri Lanka particularly among the Tamil community.
Food
The cuisine of Sri Lanka has been influenced by many historical, cultural, and other factors. Rice is the main staple diet of the country. Other staples include hoppers, string hoppers, and pittu.
Being one of the largest producers of tea in the world Sri Lanka is best known for the production of unorthodox tea. Tea was introduced to the country by the British who called the country "Ceylon". Pure Ceylon tea is considered some of the finest tea produced anywhere in the world.
Handicrafts
Handicrafts available in Sri Lanka include wood carving, silverware, brass castings, ceramic ware, bamboo products, pottery, batiks, lace works, cane works, costume jewelry, lacquerware, wooden masks, coir goods, handlooms, and ivory products.
Tourist accommodations in Sri Lanka consist of graded hotels, supplementary establishments, guest houses and limited scale camping sites. More informal accommodation is available on a paying guest system in private houses and hill-country tea estate bungalows.
The tourist industry makes a significant contribution to the national economy by directly contributing to the government budget, foreign-exchange earnings and employment generation. It contributes both directly and indirectly, in the provision of goods and services to the tourist sector.
Tourism in Sri Lanka, despite its benefits for the local economy (it is one of the main foreign income sources of the country), has its critics. Some studies indicate that quick modern tourism development would not cater to the specific needs of the local people.
Also, the high biodiversity of Sri Lanka seems to be threatened by the development of mass tourism which has already affected several natural reserves. Some endangered animal species seem to be seriously threatened by the rise of tourism in some areas; that is the case with the Keerthisinghe’s Rock Frog, which is endemic in Sri Lanka.
An alternative kind of tourism, called ecotourism, sustainable tourism or responsible tourism, enables travelers to participate in tourism throughout Sri Lanka while contributing on the well-being of the local communities and making sure their environmental impact is limited.
The Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation is the national organization that created an official ecotourism network through the island, allowing to develop sustainable tourism with wide options of travel. In 2010, the foundation won the presidential awards for "Outstanding Contribution for Tourism in Sri Lanka".
In 2012, post office worldwide holiday costs barometer named Sri Lanka as the best valued destination for holidays.In 2013 the popular travel guide book Lonely Planet named Sri Lanka as the best travel destination for 2013. According to the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015 Sri Lanka is at 63 out of 141 countries.
The government initiatives in development of tourism date back to 1937 when the Ceylon Tourist Bureau was established. However, it was closed down in September 1939 due to World War II. After Sri Lanka's independence the promotion of tourism was again considered by re-establishing the Ceylon Tourist Board which took over the function of the Tourist Bureau. More formal recognition for the country's tourism sector was given with the enactment of Act No. 10 of 1966.
This provided the legislation for the establishment of Ceylon Tourist Board. Since then the Ceylon Tourist Board has functioned as the state agency, responsible for development and promotion of the tourism sector in Sri Lanka.
In October 2007 according to Section 2 of the Tourism Act No. 38 of 2005, the Sri Lanka Tourist Board (Act No 10 of 1966) was replaced by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
Currently Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has classified Sri Lanka into several resort regions suitable for tourism development.
Colombo and Greater Colombo Resort Region: The Colombo and Greater Colombo Resort Region spreads along the Mount Lavinia in the south to Negambo in the north. Colombo city is the main part of the zone, and is the center for business activities, conferences and sport events in the country. Colombo serves as both a gateway and stopover point for international tourists.
South Coast Resort Region: The south coast zone extends from Wadduwa to Tissamaharama. The zone has been divided into two main regions. The first region extends from Wadduwa to Galle. Coastal areas like Kalutara, Beruwala, Bentota, Dedduwa, Madu Ganga, Balapitiya, Ahungalla, and Hikkaduwa are included in this region. The second region, extending from Galle to Tissamaharama, includes Unawatuna, Koggala, Weligama, Mirissa, Matara, Tangalle and Hambantota areas as sub-points of the zone.
East Coast Resort Region: The East Coast Resort Region extends from Kuchchaveli in the north to Pottuvil in the south. The main tourism zones in this region are Arugam Bay, Pasikudah, Trincomalee and Nilaveli.
West Coast Resort Region: The West Coast Resort Region extends along Kalpitiya, Marawila and Waikkala areas.
High Country Resort Region: Nuwara Eliya, Bandarawela and Maskeliya are included for the High Country Resort Region.
Ancient Cities Resort Region: This region has five world heritage sites, namely Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Kandy, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya. Other regions include Habarana, Giritale, Matale and Victoria.
When the government decided to develop the tourism sector as a separate sector of the country's economy by establishing the Ceylon Tourist Bureau in 1966, there were 18,969 foreign tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka.
There was an upward trend of tourist arrivals until 1982, with the exception of 1971. Between 1976 and 1982, tourist arrivals had increased 24% per year. The tourist traffic in 1982 showed that there was a remarkable growth in number of tourists, with 407,230 arrivals.
However, with the beginning of the civil war in 1983, the growth of tourist arrivals declined and stagnated to around 300,000 - 500,000 arrivals annually.
The civil war that had lasted over 25 years was ended in 2009 as LTTE separatists were defeated by government forces. In 2009 the tourist arrivals numbered 448,000, and in 2015, 1,798,380, showing over 300 percent growth in six years.
There is a significant domestic tourist segment making excursions in Sri Lanka. In 2014 six million Sri Lankans traveled within the country as domestic tourists.
The main purposes of travel by the domestic tourists are pilgrimage, family holiday, study works, and sightseeing. The main destinations of domestic tourists are Anuradhapura, Kataragama, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Sri Pada, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Dambulla. Domestic tourism is noticeable during school vacations and on weekends.
Tourist attractions are classifiable as natural or anthropogenic. Natural attractions include nature spots, flora and fauna, and places with a pleasant climate.
Geotourism sites may also be included in this category. Anthropogenic attractions include archaeological and cultural attractions, historical and religion sites, performing arts and folklore, handicrafts and artifacts.
Despite its small size, Sri Lanka possess high level of biodiversity and wildlife resources, and is rated among the 34 biodiversity hotspots in the world.
Many species of flora and fauna are indigenous to Sri Lanka. This has made the island a country with the highest rates of biological endemism in the world.
13% of Sri Lanka's land surface has been designated as Wildlife Protected Areas (WLPAs) which at present exceeds a total area of 8500 km2.[20] Approximately 7% of the area is national parks, the areas allowed for the public to see and study wildlife. Sri Lanka's national parks have been become popular tourist destinations.
National parks
Adam’s Bridge · Angammedilla · Bundala · Chundikkulam · Delft · Flood Plains · Gal Oya · Galway's Land · Hikkaduwa · Horagolla · Horrowpatana · Horton Plains · Kaudulla · Kumana · Lahugala Kitulana · Lunugamvehera · Madhu Road · Maduru Oya · Minneriya · Pigeon Island · Somawathiya · Udawalawe · Ussangoda · Wasgamuwa · Wilpattu · Yala
Sri Lanka possesses nearly 1600 km coastlines with tropical beaches which are popular among both local and foreign tourists.
Most of the coastlines of the country are studded with varying coastal features such as bays, lagoons, sandbanks, and rocky headlands. Marine recreation activities, such as sea bathing and swimming, surfing, boating, snorkelling, deep-sea fishing, underwater photography, and scuba diving, can be seen at most of these beaches and related resort areas.
Beaches at Tangalle, Beruwala, Mirissa, Bentota, Unawatuna Arugam Bay, Pasikudah, Uppuveli and Negombo are considered as famous tourist beaches in the country.
Sri Lanka has numerous tourist attractions with areas of natural scenic beauty, primarily including mountainous terrains, agricultural landscapes, waterfalls, places with diverse climatic conditions, reservoirs (wewas), and rivers.
The country has six botanical gardens and four Zoological gardens. The botanical gardens are maintained by the Department of National Botanical Gardens,and the zoological gardens are maintained by the Department of National Zoological Gardens.The gardens have become attractive places among local and foreign visitors.
Royal Botanical Gardens
Hakgala Botanical Garden · Henarathgoda Botanical Garden · Mirijjawila Botanical Garden · Seetawaka Botanical Garden · Ganewatta Forest Medicinal Herbal Botanical Garden
National Zoological Gardens
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage · Pinnawala Open Zoo · Ridiyagama Safari Park
Heritage tourism involves visiting historical sites. Sri Lanka is very rich in pre-historic, proto-historic, and historic monuments, which bespeak its ancient civilization and culture.
Mainly Buddhism has influenced in moulding the cultural heritage of the country. The historic period of Sri Lanka proper starts at circa 236 B.C. with the introduction of Buddhism to the country by the missionaries sent by the Indian empire Asoka.
The UNESCO has declared six archaeological and two ecological World Heritage Sites in the country.Beside the world heritage sites the government of Sri Lanka has declared a number of archaeological protected sites and monuments within the country.
Sri Lanka is well known for its rich Buddhist culture as well as other religions. Being a religious country, Sri Lanka has many places with religious and historic significance, which attract tourists from all over the world. Anuradhapura, Temple of the Tooth, Sri Pada, Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu and Kataragama, are a few famous religious sites in the island that attract a large number of tourists.
The foot pilgrimage called Pada Yatra, which is one of Sri Lanka's oldest traditions, has been practiced for centuries, where the local people from Jaffna come along the East Coast to Kataragama shrine.
Sports tourism is defined as either people being involved in, observing or participating in a particular sporting event for leisure.Sri Lanka is also a destination for sports such as cricket, rugby, golf and surfing. Except for cricket, the contribution to the tourism sector from other sports are still at a very low level. Apart from mainstream sports events, adventure sports are also included in sports tourism.
Trekking, hiking, diving, rock climbing, deep sea fishing, whale watching and hot air ballooning are some of the adventure sports those can be found in Sri Lanka.
Cultural tourism includes tourism in urban areas, particularly historic or large cities and their cultural facilities such as museums and theatres.
Museums and theatres
Currently four national museums and 26 archaeological museums[34] have been established in Sri Lanka. National museums are maintained by the Department of National Museums and archaeological museums by the Department of Archaeology. Beside the museums a large number of theatres also can be found in Sri Lanka.
Festivals
Sri Lanka is a multi-cultural country with several different festivals celebrated by various communities. Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations, Vesak Festival, Christmas, Ramadan festival, Thai Pongal, and the Galle Literary Festival are a few of the major festivals.
Performing arts
There are three main traditional dance forms in Sri Lanka: Kandyan dancing, low country dancing, and Sabaragamuwa dancing. Though not unique to Sri Lanka, 'Bharatanatyam', which originated from India is also popular in Sri Lanka particularly among the Tamil community.
Food
The cuisine of Sri Lanka has been influenced by many historical, cultural, and other factors. Rice is the main staple diet of the country. Other staples include hoppers, string hoppers, and pittu.
Being one of the largest producers of tea in the world Sri Lanka is best known for the production of unorthodox tea. Tea was introduced to the country by the British who called the country "Ceylon". Pure Ceylon tea is considered some of the finest tea produced anywhere in the world.
Handicrafts
Handicrafts available in Sri Lanka include wood carving, silverware, brass castings, ceramic ware, bamboo products, pottery, batiks, lace works, cane works, costume jewelry, lacquerware, wooden masks, coir goods, handlooms, and ivory products.
Tourist accommodations in Sri Lanka consist of graded hotels, supplementary establishments, guest houses and limited scale camping sites. More informal accommodation is available on a paying guest system in private houses and hill-country tea estate bungalows.
The tourist industry makes a significant contribution to the national economy by directly contributing to the government budget, foreign-exchange earnings and employment generation. It contributes both directly and indirectly, in the provision of goods and services to the tourist sector.
Tourism in Sri Lanka, despite its benefits for the local economy (it is one of the main foreign income sources of the country), has its critics. Some studies indicate that quick modern tourism development would not cater to the specific needs of the local people.
Also, the high biodiversity of Sri Lanka seems to be threatened by the development of mass tourism which has already affected several natural reserves. Some endangered animal species seem to be seriously threatened by the rise of tourism in some areas; that is the case with the Keerthisinghe’s Rock Frog, which is endemic in Sri Lanka.
An alternative kind of tourism, called ecotourism, sustainable tourism or responsible tourism, enables travelers to participate in tourism throughout Sri Lanka while contributing on the well-being of the local communities and making sure their environmental impact is limited.
The Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation is the national organization that created an official ecotourism network through the island, allowing to develop sustainable tourism with wide options of travel. In 2010, the foundation won the presidential awards for "Outstanding Contribution for Tourism in Sri Lanka".
Tuesday, 23 February 2016
SRI LANKA: Launching A Logo To Celebrate 50th Anniversary Of Sri Lanka Tourism
11.00 a.m. The Minister for Tourism Development & Christian Affairs Hon. John Amarathunga will be the Chief Guest for this event.
Ceylon Tourist Board was established on the 02nd May 1966 as per the No. 10 of Tourism Act 1966. This historical event marks the official commencement of planned tourism development of Sri Lanka. It was also the moment which introduced the regulatory framework in tourism which paved way to the development of tourism facilities and services as well as promotions which were initiated by the national body.
Further, Ceylon Tourist Board operated as the administrative body and handling with the upgrading of tourism product and related services of the Tourism industry in Sri Lanka to drive towards delivering an unforgettable holiday experience to all tourists visiting destination - Sri Lanka.
The national celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of Sri Lanka Tourism will be held on 27th May
2016 at the main hall of Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), together with all four institutions consisting in Sri Lanka Tourism namely, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), Sri Lanka Institution of Tourism & Hospitality Management (SLITHM) and Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB). Commemorative volume, a commemorative stamp and a video film on the 50 years history will be launched at the national ceremony.
HE The President and Hon. Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and also the Secretary General of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) are being invited for the official ceremony on 27th May 2016. This event will be followed by a National exhibition of which showcases important landmarks of Sri Lanka Tourism since its establishment in 1966 and will held from 27th May to 29th May from 10 a.m. to
9.00 p.m.
In addition, Sri Lanka Tourism, in connection with the celebration of 50th Anniversary will organize several events and activities to mark this historic
Saturday, 23 January 2016
AUSTRIA: Austrian Airlines Inaugurate Flights To Sri Lanka
The inaugural flight Boeing 767 of Austrian Airlines, the flagship carrier of Austria touched down at Bandaranayke International Airport on 28th October 2015. After a lapse of almost 8 years, the airline will now offer direct flights from Vienna to Colombo on weekly basis.
Austrian Airlines, a member of the Star Alliance is part of the Lufthansa group and operates a global route network of around 130 destinations. Austria is in the center of Europe, with Italy and Slovenia to its south and Germany and the Czech Republic to its north. Given the ideal geographical location in the heart of Europe, direct air connectivity from Vienna to Sri Lanka is expected have a positive impact on the tourism industry of Sri Lanka.
Sir Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau officials including Ms. Madubani Perera –Director Marketing and Mr. Jagath Perera –Market officer to Austria & Sweden welcomed the Austrian Airlines crew of the inaugural flight at the BIA.
As per the exit survey conducted by Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority in 2014, main activities undertaken by Austrian tourists to Sri Lanka are sea bathing, visit to historical sites and wildlife. Sri Lankan has seen year-on-year (YOY) improvement in tourist arrivals to the island. In the nine months to September 2015 tourist arrivals from Austria increased by 9% and arrivals from Western Europe to Sri Lanka increased by 16% over the same period last year.
Entry of new airlines to island highlights the confidence placed by the international community on Sri Lanka and weekly flights from Vienna to Colombo gives greater opportunity for the tourism industry of Sri Lanka to further grow the European market.
Austrian Airlines, a member of the Star Alliance is part of the Lufthansa group and operates a global route network of around 130 destinations. Austria is in the center of Europe, with Italy and Slovenia to its south and Germany and the Czech Republic to its north. Given the ideal geographical location in the heart of Europe, direct air connectivity from Vienna to Sri Lanka is expected have a positive impact on the tourism industry of Sri Lanka.
Sir Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau officials including Ms. Madubani Perera –Director Marketing and Mr. Jagath Perera –Market officer to Austria & Sweden welcomed the Austrian Airlines crew of the inaugural flight at the BIA.
As per the exit survey conducted by Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority in 2014, main activities undertaken by Austrian tourists to Sri Lanka are sea bathing, visit to historical sites and wildlife. Sri Lankan has seen year-on-year (YOY) improvement in tourist arrivals to the island. In the nine months to September 2015 tourist arrivals from Austria increased by 9% and arrivals from Western Europe to Sri Lanka increased by 16% over the same period last year.
Entry of new airlines to island highlights the confidence placed by the international community on Sri Lanka and weekly flights from Vienna to Colombo gives greater opportunity for the tourism industry of Sri Lanka to further grow the European market.
Monday, 28 December 2015
SRI LANKA: Tourism Fest With The Spirit Of Christmas Ends Well
The first ever 'Tourism Fest with the spirit of Christmas'organized by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) in association with other tourism institutions under the Ministry of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs was a huge success.
Thousands of foreign and local visitors thronged the Arcade, Independence Square during the five day event from December 19.
The idea behind 'Tourism Fest 2015' was to portray Sri Lankan food,culture, gems, handicrafts, tea, shopping and entertainment at one venue, offering both foreign and local visitors the opportunity of experiencing\the many facets of the country in one place.
Tourism Fest 2015 was opened by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
President Maithripala Sirisena was the Chief Guest on the last day of the fest.Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Harsha De Silva, Tourism and Christian Religious Affairs Minister John Amaratunga and Advisor to the Ministry of Policy Planning Dinesh Weerakkody also participated.
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