The Sri Lanka Tourist Development Authority (SLTDA) intrends to revive the plans to develop a marina in the Kalpitiya Lagoon under the tourism development plan of the Kalpitiya Master Plan.

Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, SLTDA Chairman Priantha Fernando stated that the blueprint for tourism development in Kalpitiya envisaged the development of a marina in the Kalpitiya Bay along with the development of the 14 islands in Kalpitiya.

He stated that it was too early to comment on whether the marina would be developed by the Government alone or together with the private sector. 

He admitted that a Private-Public Partnership (PPP) where the State provided the land and private investors provided the requisite funding would be viewed favourably. 

Elaborating further, he stated: “We will be spearheading the development of the marina in Kalpitiya together with any institution or authority involved in the Kalpitiya development process. Kalpitiya is a destination which is famous for whale watching and dolphin watching and has one of the best coral reefs in South Asia called the Bar Reef, which has been declared a marine sanctuary. 

“Therefore, there are a lot of resources in Kalpitiya. When you look at the surrounding area, you also have the Wilpattu National Park. Kalpitiya is one of the best destinations in the world for kitesurfing due to the fact that wind conditions are ideal for around nine months of the year.” 

Fernando pointed out that there were 14 islands in Kalpitiya, of which around seven could be developed and dedicated for the purpose of tourism. “Some of the islands were given to foreign investors for development. However, the development process was slowed down by disruptions such as the Easter attacks and Covid-19. We will be reactivating the process to ensure that these islands are developed soon.”

He further stated that the development of a marina in the Kalpitiya Lagoon was part of the campaign to promote marine tourism in the Eastern, Southern, and Western Provinces as a priority in 2023. This plan to develop Sri Lanka’s marine tourism in 2023 was revealed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the 2023 Budget speech. 

Source: https://www.themorning.lk/articles/uB8shgybRSB0tQyICGa0