Tourism Development Minister John Amaratunga said tourists complain that they have nothing to do after six in the evening as there is no night life and excitement as found in certain other tourist destinations.
“I have told visitors there’s nothing the industry could do since Sri Lanka is a country bound by religious and cultural values which do not permit the lifestyle that travellers expect. Certainly this is not Thailand. But we have plenty to offer visitors with our pristine beaches, hospitality, culture and the scenic beauty of the countryside”, Amaratrunga said.
However the minister said the industry is on a path to attract over 2.5 million visitors by the end of the year provided everything goes well unlike last year which was affected by the closure of the airport, floods and dengue.
“The number of arrivals last year was around 2.2 million even though we were expecting 2.5 million. We are confident that we could go well above 2.5 million visitors this year with the number of mega tourist promotion events lined up for the year”, Amaratunga said.
Sri Lanka Tourism launched the Ironman 70.3 Colombo Triathlon which is scheduled to be held at the Galle Face Green on February 25. This marks the first time Sri Lanka would be hosting an international triathlon with over 850 triathletes expected from 63 countries bringing over US$ 3 million revenue to the country.
According to Sri Lanka Tourism officials already over 2,300 visitors have confirmed attendance and the number is expect to increase with the media campaigns taking off. Organizers said the youngest participant is 21 years old and the oldest is 81.
“There is no age limit for sports as long as one is mentally and physically fit to take part in an event. There are many youngsters and participants from the Veddha community in Dambana. We want to showcase the potential of our country and the sporting skills of youth,” he said.
Hosting the Ironman is said to bring global recognition to Sri Lanka as a preferred destination for sports.
The profile of the average Ironman participant is that 90 percent of them are professional in numerous fields such as legal, retail, education, marketing, technology, medical and financial. The average income of an Ironman is US$ 175,000 and the average age is 41. Males account for around 71 percent of the participants in an Ironman competition.
Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara who was also in attendance at the media briefing as it is a tourism and sports collaboration to promote sports tourism, said Triathlon Colombo will be a major boost for sports and tourism promotion helping to position Sri Lanka in the global map as a destination for international events.
“We have lined up many sporting events that will go well with the tourism industry.
One such event is the elders golf tournament planned to be held at Hambantota. I am keen to take part at least in the cycling segment of the triathlon, and will prepare for it after February 10,” Jayasekara said.
Roads, accommodation, parking, sloths for spectators, security and traffic arrangements have all being looked into according to Pro Am Serendb Director Yasas Hewage.
However, as visible, even some of the main roads in the city are replete with potholes making it impassable for commuters. An event of this nature which is to be held in the heart of Colombo would certainly aggravate the flow of vehicles in the city which is a common occurrence even on a normal day.