COLOMBO, Aug 11 (NNN-XINHUA) – Sri Lanka’s Tourism Ministry said yesterday that, within the past 15 months, the government has attracted over 950 million U.S. dollars of investments, dedicated to revitalising the country’s tourism sector, which was one of the hardest-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) said, 64 project proposals have been received and 38 projects, accounting for 102.38 million U.S. dollars, have received approval.
The SLTDA said, the level of interest shown by global investors was a positive sign and indicative of the immense potential of the local tourism sector.
“This new era of strategic investment is like nothing the country has seen before, and is set to launch Sri Lanka’s tourism sector into a brave new future,” Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson, Kimarli Fernando, said.
“We have taken great care to streamline the investment process, so it is more in line with what international investors expect. This includes a master document, which merges the requirements of all government agencies into a single easy-to-use application for investors,” she said.
By removing previous hurdles, streamlining the entire process for greater efficiency, and ensuring absolute transparency, the government has given investors a clear route. This provides interested parties with the guarantee they need, when considering the long-term viability of their investment, according to Fernando.
“As Sri Lanka positions itself as the ideal destination for post-COVID-19 travel, these investments, and the subsequent revenue they generate, will empower communities and benefit local economies all across the country,” the SLTDA said.
Sri Lanka’s tourism sector has been one of the worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which left over 300,000 people infected since Mar last year, and caused 5,222 deaths.– NNN-XINHUA
