Lanka prepares for rebirth of tourism industry - The Independent

Lanka prepares for rebirth of tourism industry - The Independent

http://www.news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16488&Itemid=44

Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Post-war Sri Lanka is preparing for a rapid growth in tourism numbers over the coming five years as the local industry gets back on its feet - and international visitors once again have faith in the security situation in the island nation, stated Britain's The Independent newspaper in a report published yesterday(18).
The newspaper reported that the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) this week predicted around 500,000 tourists would have headed to Sri Lanka by the end of this year while the Sri Lankan government has announced plans to welcome 2.5 million visitors per year and to add a further 25,000 hotel rooms nation wide by 2016."With an end to its war, Sri Lanka has now entered a period of relative peace and political stability and international visitors are responding with strong demand. Actual arrivals are well above the forecast for 2010 as at August,'' quoting PATA, the Independent said