Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
 
Panaji, May 31: Having put its 30 years of conflict behind, Sri lanka now sees its earlier war-prone Eastern province as a suitable region for tourism promotion as it is bestowed with beautiful beaches, a senior Srilankan diplomat said today.
 
“Eastern is a virgin territory, it’s fantastic area with beach fronts where joint ventures or investments can work,” said Prasad Kariyawasam, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in India.

He said that there is lot of confidence amongst the investors in Sri Lanka as a destination. “We have board of investment, which is one stop shop for this kind of needs,” he stated adding that the serious investors should visit the area and see for themselves.
 
Kariyawasam said that there are massive tax holidays offered by the government coupled with incentives like 100 per cent foreign ownership is allowed and also 100 per cent profit repatriation is okayed.
 
“Considering manpower shortage in the country, even foreign labours are allowed in this sector,” he added.
 
Kariyawasam said that areas of the country, both in the interiors as well as the coast, that were inaccessible t the tourist for 30 long years are now opening up. “This includes some of our best wildlife parks, and beaches on the East coast,” he said.
 
The High Commissioner pointed out that the interest of international chain of hotels is increasing towards Sri Lanka. “The Shangri-La Chain has just gone into Sri Lanka. They paid upfront in convertible currency for the land that they purchased in the heart of Colombo,” he added.
 
Kariyawasam was in Goa to participate in the seminar organized by International Centre Goa on the issue `quest for promoting tourism between Goa and Sri Lanka.’

Sri Lanka to introduce online visas

Sri Lanka will be introducing online visas for the tourists visiting the island country within next two months on a trial basis, a senior diplomat said on Monday.
 
Prasad Kariyawasam, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in India, said that the online visa would be an alternative to the visa-on-arrival, which has been currently discontinued in this South Asian nation.
 
Kariyawasam claimed that the online visa would be `much simpler than visa on arrival’ and also it will address all the security concerns of the country.
 
Those who have access to internet can only get the visa, he said adding that traveler can himself online apply for it or can ask a travel agent to do so.
 
“The internet presence of a traveler will address the security concerns arising out of current situation in the region,” the diplomat said.
 
Sri Lanka will have a trial of this new visa facility before its implementation.
 
Kariyawasam said that Sri Lanka and India should not wait until everything falls into place. “When a process is set in motion, packages are put in place, and people start traveling. I am confident that hindrances will gradually diminish,” he added.