The Tourism Ministry will put in place a travel app that will feature information on 5,000 local travel sites, hotels, tour guides and other useful information on Sri Lanka, to revive the industry which has been battered by a double whammy, the Easter Sunday terror attacks in April 2019 and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The app which comes complete with a feature to buy tickets to local attractions online, is expected to boost travel bookings and revenue.
“The terms of reference, which define the purpose and structures of the project and the shared goals of the institutions which will come together to make this Tourism app a real success, have already been finalised,” Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairperson Kimali Fernando said.
A key feature of the app will be an emergency button that will alert the closest police station and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority in case of an emergency.
Sri Lanka Tourism, the Tourism Ministry, Wildlife and Forest Departments, Central Cultural Fund and the Police are among many other institutions that will come under one umbrella to offer their services when the app is launched.