TOURISM INDUSTRY URGENTLY NEEDS A NATIONAL POLICY

A veteran tourism sector professional says that if the government intends to target millions of foreigners to Sri Lanka in 2023, the key authorities have to start working on it from today while focusing on the needs of all stakeholders in the tourism sector, motivating them and retaining them in this industry before they seek alternate employment to sustain.

Founder of Tourism in Ruhuna Jayadewa Sudusinghe who counts more than 35 years’ experience in the field and speaks multiple languages, said that the Tourism Ministry and the SLTDA have to act fast to achieve that 2023 target, given the critical plight of all tourism sector stakeholders.

Ruhuna Jayadewa Sudusinghe

“World Tourism Day falls tomorrow, September 27th. The United Nations World Tourism Organization has themed it as ‘TOURISM FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH’ this year. This compels us to think and rethink of all the challenges we face due to the unprecedented covid pandemic and also consider taking into account the hard times of some 4 million people depending on this industry. More than one million are directly involved in this sphere while another 3 million are dependent on it. The plight of these people have been critical for almost two years since the Easter Sunday attacks. It is never too late to bounce back. What the authorities should do is meet and talk to all stakeholders, understand the situation at ground level, motivate and encourage them giving them hope that better times are ahead,” he said.

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