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Wednesday, June 24, 2009 - 3.50 GMT |
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We have ended
need for Travel Advisories that crippled
Tourism
– President.
New target of
2.5 million tourists annually by 2016
2011 declared Visit Sri Lanka Year |
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This is
a
momentous
phase
for the
Tourism
Industry.
With
terrorism
defeated
after
three
decades,
our
people
can now
travel
freely
in our
motherland.
Tourists
should
have no
fear to
visit
our
attractions.
And, I
believe,
we have
ended
the need
for
Travel
Advisories
that
crippled
Tourism,
said
President
Mahinda
Rajapaksa
in an
address
to the
launch
of the
new
image of
Sri
Lanka
Tourism.
“As we
have
assisted
the
Tourism
Industry
through
its most
difficult
period,
I now
assure
the
industry
of every
effort
and all
resources
to meet
a target
of 2.5
million
tourists
by
2016,”
he said
in a In
his
digitized
address
to the
event at
the
Sirimavo
Bandaranaike
Hall,
Colombo,
yesterday
(23).
Referring
to the
new
opportunities
for
Tourism
after
the
defeat
of
terrorism,
the
President
said “we
can now
add
Passikudah
and
Trincomalee,
up to
Kokilai
Lagoon
in the
East, as
major
tourist
attractions,
and many
locations
in the
North
too, as
part of
the
Uthuru
Vasanthaya
– the
development
agenda
for the
North.”
Here is
the text
of the
President’s
address:
No
sooner
our
Motherland
was
united
under
our
national
flag; I
invited
all who
had left
the
country
because
of
terrorism
to
return
home.
Today, I
invite
visitors
from
abroad
to come
to our
wonderful
country
to enjoy
its
charm
and the
hospitality
of our
people.
This is
a
momentous
phase
for the
Tourism
Industry.
With
terrorism
defeated
after
three
decades,
our
people
can now
travel
freely
in our
motherland.
Tourists
should
have no
fear to
visit
our
attractions.
And, I
believe,
we have
ended
the need
for
Travel
Advisories
that
crippled
Tourism.
We can
now
fully
use the
assets
of
nature,
history
and
culture
for
Tourism,
to
restore
its
contribution
to
development.
As we
have
assisted
the
Tourism
Industry
through
its most
difficult
period,
I now
assure
the
industry
of every
effort
and all
resources
to meet
a target
of 2.5
million
tourists
by 2016.
While
developing
Hambantota,
Kalpitiya
and
Arugam
Bay as
major
tourist
resorts,
we can
now add
Passikudah
and
Trincomalee,
up to
Kokilai
Lagoon
in the
East,
and many
locations
in the
North
too, as
part of
the
Uthuru
Vasanthaya
– the
development
agenda
for the
North.
Tourist
ventures
must
draw
their
strength
from and
contribute
to the
communities
around
them.
Tourism
must
move to
new
opportunities
with the
people
as its
partners.
The
Tourism
Industry
also has
a major
role as
custodians
of our
environment,
assets
of
nature,
and
traditions
of our
people.
They
must not
be
subordinate
to the
search
for
profit.
The
launch
of the
new
image
for Sri
Lanka
Tourism
comes
when the
entire
island
is open
for
tourists,
to
discover
and
enjoy
the
marvels
of
history,
diversities
of
culture,
and
friendship
and
tolerance
of our
people.
I trust
the new
direction
of Sri
Lanka
Tourism
will
position
Sri
Lanka as
a
premier
tourist
destination
of Asia.
I think
it is
time now
for us
to Think
Big of
the many
great
attractions
we have.
We are
large in
the
diversity
of
attractions
to
offer.
We are a
Nation
with a
great
history.
Our
achievements
in
engineering,
architecture
and art
are
great.
Our land
has such
variety
in the
attractions
of
nature.
Strengthened
by our
great
past,
the
successes
of the
present,
and
promises
of the
future,
I am
pleased
to
launch
to the
world
our new
image,
to
promote
our
beautiful
country,
with its
history
going
back
into the
mists of
time. It
is the
new
miracle
that
will
soon be
felt
throughout
the
world.
Our
commitment
to
developing
tourism
shall
also be
Maathrubhumi
First,
Second,
Third …
the true
miracle
of
success.
Extending
the
warmest
welcome
to
tourists
to Sri
Lanka, I
am
pleased
to
announce
our
decision
to
declare
the Year
2011 as
“Visit
Sri
Lanka
Year”.
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