President Anura Kumara Dissanayake chaired a discussion at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday to review the 2027 Budget proposals relating to the Ministry of Tourism, focusing on ongoing development projects, infrastructure, tourism education and visitor safety.
During the meeting, the President reviewed the progress of individual projects aimed at promoting the tourism sector, examined challenges affecting their implementation and discussed possible immediate solutions.
Historic Dutch Ports and Marine Tourism
Special attention was given to tourism development projects centred on historic Dutch ports in Jaffna, Mannar and Batticaloa. The President emphasised the importance of protecting historical heritage during the implementation of these projects.
The meeting also discussed initiatives to promote marine tourism and establish a mechanism to secure the financial resources required to continue projects launched last year.
Plans to improve port facilities for tourists arriving on cruise ships were also considered as part of efforts to promote cruise tourism.
Buddhist and Spiritual Tourism
The potential to promote Anuradhapura, Mihintale and Kandy internationally as destinations for Buddhist education and spiritual tourism was another key area of discussion.
The meeting explored strategic measures to position these locations beyond conventional tourist attractions, highlighting their significance as centres of Buddhist learning and spiritual experiences.
Eco-Tourism and Southern Mist Project
The development of eco-tourism destinations and the promotion of related programmes were also discussed.
The President reviewed progress on the Southern Mist project, which is being implemented across Sri Lanka’s Southern and Sabaragamuwa Provinces.
Tourism Education and Professional Training
The meeting considered further improvements to programmes implemented under the Ministry of Tourism to expand educational and training opportunities for tourism-related entrepreneurship.
The need to introduce degree programmes related to the tourism industry was also highlighted, with the aim of strengthening education and professional development within the sector.
Tourist Safety and Domestic Air Services
Discussions also focused on further strengthening the Tourist Police to ensure the safety of visitors to Sri Lanka and provide prompt solutions to problems encountered by tourists.
The importance of expanding domestic air services to promote tourism in the Northern and Eastern Provinces was another subject considered at the meeting.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath; Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr Anil Jayantha Fernando; Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage; Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Aruni Ranaraja; and officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism.
