We will put tourism back on track - Anura

  
Industries, Investment and Tourism Promotion Minister Anura Bandaranaike has requested for a Rs. 100 million soft loan from the Treasury to go ahead with the re-building task of the country's tourism sector hit by the December 26 tsunami disaster.
"We have prepared a three phased action plan to re-construct the hotel industry in the Southern and Eastern provinces. In the report we have recommended some proposals that should be implemented in the short term, medium and long term, he told the Daily News.
"The complete report which included the damages to the local tourism industry and several important recommendations that we should implement to overcome the situation was handed over to President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga last Wednesday", the Minister said.
Bandaranaike said he would do his utmost with government support to re-build the tourism industry which had surpassed the targeted tourist arrivals figure of over 550,000 last year.
"Duty concessions on goods imports connected to the tourism industry, vehicles and the setting up of a relief loan scheme for those affected in the industry are some short term proposals that we have suggested in the report," he said. "We are expecting to complete the reconstruction work of the ravaged areas within a year. Several foreign countries have also pledged their continuous assistance for tsunami victims and also promised to join hands together with the Ministry of Tourism for re-construction projects," Bandaranaike said.
 "The government has also decided not to permit any construction along the coastal belt hereafter. Whatever building along the sea coast should be 300 meters away from the coastal belt. But we have decided not to remove any hotels already built and not destroyed due to tsunami within 100 meters of the shore," the Minister said.
"We also want to combat the negative picture presented to foreign countries by the International Travel Advisory Committee about epidemics in the aftermath of the tsunami tragedy.
 
 
 
  Such propaganda will bring harmful affects to Sri Lanka's tourism. About 30 to 40 per cent tourist cancellations have been made after the tsunami tragedy. However we have to put the country's tourism back on track with strong commitments," he said.
Meanwhile a special task force on rebuilding the tourism has been appointed. It is headed by Tourism Ministry Secretary Dr. P. Ramanujam, Additional Secretary George Michel, Sri Lanka Tourist Board (SLTB) Chairman Udaya Nanayakkara, Director General (SLTB) S. Kalaiselvam, Hotel Corporation Chairman Chandra Mohotti and several members of the hotel industry.
Meanwhile, Sheraton Hotel chain in USA has reconfirmed their setting up of a branch in Colombo after the tsunami tragedy.
Apart from the death toll of over 40,000 in Sri Lanka, it has been revealed that the tsunami tragedy has also caused Rs. 400 million damage to the country's tourism industry.
According to Tourism Ministry Secretary, Dr. P. Ramanujam, out of the 107 hotels in the Southern Province, 57 have been affected by the tidal waves. Seven tourist hotels have been completely destroyed including Yala Safari. More than 150 tourists were killed and about 100 are still missing.