“New tourism laws on the horizon to revive the sector”

Sri Lankan tourism legislation is ageing and needs new regulations, and the Cabinet has approved the introduction of new tourism rules, said Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism Vijitha Herath.

 He said that the current laws are outdated and do not link all relevant stakeholders together.

“We have formulated a committee comprising experts in the field to draft new legislation aimed at modernising and streamlining the sector,” the Minister said at the 18th Annual General Meeting of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises in Tourism (ASMET) yesterday. (1)

He also spelt out plans to introduce a Tourism Development Committee, which will have more powers to deal with issues and take decisions at a faster pace.”

 “We also have plans to have a district development committee, which would be able to find solutions to emerging issues at a regional level, ensuring more inclusive and sustainable tourism growth.”

Pictured: Minister Vijitha Herath at the ASMET AGM