Retail
Subscription
to Advertise
  • ISSUES
    • 2006 to 2009
      • 2006
        • January 2006
        • February 2006
        • March 2006
        • April 2006
        • May 2006
        • June 2006
        • July 2006
        • August 2006
        • September 2006
        • October 2006
        • November 2006
        • December 2006
      • 2007
        • January 2007
        • February 2007
        • March 2007
        • April 2007
        • May 2007
        • June 2007
        • July 2007
        • August 2007
        • September 2007
        • October 2007
        • November 2007
        • December 2007
      • 2008
        • January 2008
        • February 2008
        • March 2008
        • April 2008
        • May 2008
        • June 2008
        • July 2008
        • August 2008
        • September 2008
        • October 2008
        • November 2008
        • December 2008
      • 2009
        • January 2009
        • February 2009
        • March 2009
        • April 2009
        • May 2009
        • June 2009
        • July 2009
        • August 2009
        • September 2009
        • October 2009
        • November 2009
        • December 2009
    • 2010 to 2019
      • 2010
        • January 2010
        • February 2010
        • March 2010
        • April 2010
        • May 2010
        • June 2010
        • July 2010
        • August 2010
        • September 2010
        • October 2010
        • November 2010
        • December 2010
      • 2011
        • January 2011
        • February 2011
        • March 2011
        • April 2011
        • May 2011
        • June 2011
        • July 2011
        • August 2011
        • September 2011
        • October 2011
        • November 2011
        • December 2011
      • 2012
        • April 2013
        • June 2012
        • July 2012
        • September 2012
      • 2013
        • January 2013
        • February 2013
        • March 2013
        • April 2013
        • May 2013
        • June 2013
        • July 2013
        • August 2013
        • November 2013
        • December 2013
      • 2014
        • January 2014
        • February 2014
        • March 2014
        • April 2014
        • May 2014
        • June 2014
        • July 2014
        • August 2014
        • September 2014
        • October 2014
        • November 2014
        • December 2014
      • 2015
        • January 2015
        • February 2015
        • March 2015
        • April 2015
        • May 2015
        • June 2015
        • July 2015
        • August 2015
        • September 2015
        • October 2015
        • November 2015
        • December 2015
      • 2016
        • January 2016
        • February 2016
        • March 2016
        • April 2016
        • May 2016
        • June 2016
        • July 2016
        • August 2016
        • October 2016
        • November 2016
        • December 2016
      • 2017
        • January 2017
        • February 2017
        • March 2017
        • April 2017
        • May 2017
        • June 2017
        • July 2017
        • August 2017
        • September 2017
        • October 2017
        • November 2017
        • December 2017
      • 2018
        • January 2018
        • February 2018
        • March 2018
        • April 2018
        • May 2018
        • June 2018
        • July 2018
        • August 2018
        • September 2018
        • October 2018
        • November 2018
        • December 2018
      • 2019
        • January 2019
        • February 2019
        • March 2019
        • April 2019
        • May 2019
        • June 2019
        • July 2019
        • August 2019
        • September 2019
        • October 2019
        • November 2019
        • December 2019
    • 2020 to 2023
      • 2020
        • January 2020
        • February 2020
        • March 2020
        • April 2020
        • May 2020
        • June 2020
        • July 2020
        • August 2020
        • September 2020
        • October 2020
        • November 2020
        • December 2020
      • 2021
        • January 2021
        • February 2021
        • March 2021
        • April 2021
        • May 2021
        • June 2021
        • July 2021
        • August 2021
        • September 2021
        • October 2021
        • November 2021
        • December 2021
      • 2022
        • January 2022
        • June 2022
        • February 2022
        • July 2022
        • March 2022
        • April 2022
        • August 2022
        • May 2022
        • September 2022
        • October 2022
        • November 2022
        • December 2022
      • 2023
        • January 2023
        • February 2023
        • March 2023
        • April 2023
        • May 2023
  • FOR DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION
  • BT AWARDS
    • BT Top 40 2021 – 2022
  • ABOUT US
No Result
View All Result
Business Today
No Result
View All Result

Integrated Tourism Development: The Way Forward

0 0
0

Excerpts from the speech made by Dr Surath Wickramasinghe, President – Chamber of Construction Industry, Sri Lanka at the Launch of the Build
Sri Lanka 2014.


About 15 years ago, I wrote an article on integrated tourism development. I proposed four or five mega tourism complexes around 1000 acres or more in extent in different parts of  Sri Lanka to be adequate to meet the tourism demand for the next 10 to 15 years. Each of these complexes to be comprehensively designed with access to cultural and heritage locations and with provision to provide for different star categories of hotels, which will range from six star downwards to provide at least 5,000 hotel rooms and  incorporating world class, leisure, recreation and entertainment facilities for the tourists to participate. 

The complex could comprise many restaurants, shopping malls, theatres, theme parks, casinos, race course, polo, golf courses, sailing, water sports, adventure events like biking, climbing, hiking etc. This type of complex will  generate huge benefits to Sri Lanka, not only in terms of much needed foreign exchange, and employment generation in large numbers but also to make Sri Lanka attractive to the tourists, to relax and spend their time and money on a variety of activities.

In addition to the already planned development for Colombo, one such complex could be located within close proximity to Bentota and Hikkaduwa, to the east and to the west of the expressway. Large areas of land are available in locations at Dedduwa and fronting the Madu Ganga close to Ambalangoda. These may be privately owned for development on a PPP basis. Similarly, other locations with the existing hotel infrastructure could be integrated to form mega complexes in a similar manner.

In Sri Lanka, at present we are trying to promote tourism within a restricted outlook of marketing only the beaches, wild life reserves, and the cultural sites. This type of tourism will limit the attraction of the numbers and of high value tourists. The majority of at least 50 percent of the different age groups will need more fun, sports and adventure including eco-oriented tourism. In several Asian and Mediterranean countries, tourists arrive in plane loads and Sri Lanka should aim for this model to achieve its target of 2.5 million tourists or more by 2016. 

Most Asian countries including the recently emerging countries like Burma, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are marketing casino and golf tourism as part of the integrated  tourism package. In Sri Lanka, we do not have mega casino or golf tourism projects, but only a few casinos in Colombo while there are many Bookie gambling opportunities for horse racing in most parts of Sri Lanka. Casino tourism caters for a select band of tourists mainly from the developed and developing Asian countries including China.

Sri Lanka Should Promote Investment In Integrated Tourism Development Projects In Four Or Five Selected Locations… We Can Be Competitive With Other Countries And Be Able To Capture High Spending Tourists.

In fact, in Singapore, Malaysia and other countries, the gaming taxes by the Government is  mandatory. In addition,   a Casino Regulatory Authority monitors the casino operations to prevent the negative aspects of damage to the social fabric, money laundering, prostitution, alcoholism, distribution of drugs, domination of organised crime, illegal money lending and also introduce a mechanism to control local participation. With this concept the security for the tourists could be ensured and the benefits to Sri Lanka would be greater than the dangers from Casino Tourism.  The tourists do not have adequate opportunities to relax and spend their time and money. At least 50 percent would like to participate in different activities, while on holiday, specially the young, besides only travelling to places of interest.

Golf tourism vacations are the latest enthusiasm among the elite in business, professionals and the sports loving public. The Japanese, Koreans and now the Chinese and other Asians in large numbers are regularly visiting different countries in Asia to play golf, on branded courses designed by world renowned golfers. These golfers spend money generously for hotel accommodation, travelling internally and playing golf. We must definitely make it a policy to promote tourism to encourage investors to invest in golf courses by facilitating to source land in close proximity to tourism complexes in different parts of Sri Lanka. Even in Singapore, which has limited land resources, there are over 20 golf courses. In Thailand there are over 100 branded golf courses, in Bangkok, Chiang-Mai, Pattaya and Phuket. In Vietnam, even in regional cities like Danang within the last five years they have established five branded golf courses. The golf courses are full of tourists even on week days.

In Sri Lanka, there are only four golf courses in different parts of the country and none of them are branded to attract golf tourism. Therefore, to “kick start” in the Colombo region there must be at least five branded golf courses not only to attract overseas golfers but also to attract international corporate businesses.

On the other hand, horse racing is also getting popular in Asia as a International sport and race meetings are televised and transmitted to other neighbouring countries. This same concept could be adapted in Sri Lanka as we could transmit the races to South Asia and the Middle East and include race courses as part of the Integrated Tourism Development Project.  

Therefore, Sri Lanka should promote investment in Integrated Tourism Development Projects in four or five selected locations on the lines described above. If so, we can be competitive with other countries and be able to capture high spending tourists.

With this concept, Sri Lanka will be able to promote sustainable tourism, while leaving the rest of the country including the beaches to remain in its natural form for the present and the future generations to enjoy. If not, with stand-alone Tourism Development Projects popping up in all parts of the country where there is a beach or waterfront will naturally destroy the environment and the rural life of the people.

TweetShareShare

Business Today May 2023

Business Today

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

© 2023 BT Options. All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • ISSUES
    • 2006 to 2009
      • 2006
      • 2007
      • 2008
      • 2009
    • 2010 to 2019
      • 2010
      • 2011
      • 2012
      • 2013
      • 2014
      • 2015
      • 2016
      • 2017
      • 2018
      • 2019
    • 2020 to 2023
      • 2020
      • 2021
      • 2022
      • 2023
  • FOR DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION
  • BT AWARDS
    • BT Top 40 2021 – 2022
  • ABOUT US

© 2023 BT Options. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In