Sri Lanka should target high end tourists with culinary tourism, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said with a new tourism promotional campaign also to be launched to bring more tourists to the island.
“We have to target the high end tourism market.,” he was quoted as saying in a government statement at Bocuse d’Or 2023 competition held at the Waters Edge Grand Ballroom.
“The government will be unveiling a new tourist plan called ‘Visit Sri Lanka’ that will be released in the upcoming months,” President Wickremesinghe said at an Award Ceremony called Bocuse d’Or 2023’ competition held at the Water’s Edge Grand Ballroom.
He minions Maldives higher salaries and also higher service levels.
The government aims to bring in 5 million tourists, out of which 2.5 million will be high-end visitors, President Wickremesinghe said while emphasizing the industry as a significant economic driver.
Sri Lanka has been looking at several avenues to bring in dollars to the dollar deprived island nation, whilst also looking at ways to generate newer markets and segments.
According to a statement by the Department of Government Information, Sri Lanka can host up to 10 million tourists, of whom most will be tourists from Asian and the Indian Ocean region,
Attention will be given to develop culinary tourism in the country, President Wickremesinghe said.
The government is planning to launch a culinary school in collaboration with the private sector, the travel industry, and the hotel industry, President Wickremeinghe said.
Sri Lanka raised its tourist arrival target to 2.0 million in 2023 from an earlier 1.5 million on the back of better trends seen in the first quarter, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairman Priantha Fernando said in April 2023.
Sri Lanka has welcomed 748,377 tourists by July 23, while Sri Lanka welcomed 719,978 in 2022.
Along with Sri Lanka’s economic crisis many workers left the country in search of better prospects due to falling standard of living and growing cost of living.
“If you want to keep them, we have to at least match the salaries of the Maldives hotels. If you have to match the salaries of the Maldives hotels, then you must charge the same as Maldives hotels. To charge so, you must give that service, and that is essential,” President Wickremesinghe said.
If you’re looking at 5 million tourists or 10 million tourists, there have to be different types of tourism, Wickremesinghe said.
“Services have taken over and are now an important part of our economy, and like an army, the travel industry also marches on. It travels on stomachs, so let’s look after the stomach and others will look after the tablecloth,” President Wickremesinghe said.
Sri Lanka Travel Feneteko