Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath announced that, from 2027, tourism development funds will be allocated directly to districts through the Ministry of Finance instead of the current system of channeling funds through the Tourism Ministry. The move is aimed at supporting Sri Lanka's target of attracting five million tourists annually.
The Minister made these remarks during a special discussion held recently at the Ampara District Secretariat to address challenges in the district's tourism industry and to strengthen the development of a skilled workforce for overseas employment.
He also instructed officials to establish a district-level subcommittee, chaired by the District Secretary and comprising representatives from the Departments of Wildlife, Archaeology, the Police, and other relevant state institutions. The committee will meet every two months to resolve tourism-related issues promptly.
To improve tourism infrastructure in Ampara, Rs. 173 million has been allocated to develop the Arugam Bay Sunset View site. The Government has also decided to redevelop underutilized state-owned holiday resorts into tourist hotels under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements.
The Minister further stated that a special Cabinet committee has been appointed to resolve land-related issues in the Eastern Province and to reclaim illegally occupied coastal lands for development purposes.
In addition, funding has been allocated to establish a regional office of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment in Ampara next year to support the development of a more skilled overseas workforce.
The Minister also announced plans to launch a programme in Ampara, jointly implemented by the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management and the Ministry of Samurdhi, to provide free tourism-related training for youth from low-income families, creating greater employment opportunities in the tourism sector.
