Local News Update: The Sri Lankan Ministry of Tourism has over 2,500 acres of land with clear title available to both local and foreign investors, State Minister of Tourism Promotion Arundika Fernando said yesterday.
He said the Ministry approved these lands to be distributed for investors immediately upon a 30-year lease agreement. “Nevertheless, if an investor needs the land for a longer period of lease, we can arrange Cabinet approval for it.
” However, when applying for land, a proper project proposal should be present and environmentally friendly and practices should be maintained.”These lands are available in the Integrated Tourism Zones of Kalpitiya, Dedduwa and Kuchaveli. More land is also available at various locations. He said that provincial governors ‘ assistance would also be used to ensure that developers can easily dispose of lands.
The minister said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has approved a five-year tourism development plan to woo 7 million tourists and 10 million dollars of revenue. “We are working towards these targets.” The program for the reconstruction of domestic airports will continue and priority would be given to starting scheduled domestic flights between Mattala Jaffna and Batticaloa. “Special tax benefits would be given to investors and tax on facers and fuel would also be reduced,” he said, adding that both Colombo Airport and Colombo Fort Railway Station would provide more tourist facilities.
“We are currently working with the Sri Lankan Railway to launch an App to allow tourists to book online and avoid long queues at Fort Railway Station when purchasing tickets”We will also be communicating with each Indian Provincial Tourism Minister in an effort to promote Ramayana trials to Indian travelers in a more organized way.”
“This would be achieved by foreign aid, and it will be through modern technology.”He announced that schoolchildren will be able to enter Sigiriya free in the near future. Plans were also outlined for the redevelopment of the hotel school with an international university.
