Tourism needs culture and EcoTour strategy

Tourism is one of the most important economic activity in the world today, because it directly generates services, products, foreign currency, employment and investments.In countries where tourism has become a flourishing service industry, it has a far-reaching economic and social impact on national development.

International tourism also has complex linkages to other industries and to government development strategies and plans, which affects the structure and diversity of other economic activities at the national and regional levels.

Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka President Anura Lokuhetti said South Asian region countries are very rich in multicultural, multireligious and historical advantages.The airlines have to increase capacity to accommodate the expected increases of travellers.

The diversity of Sri Lanka is a model in most minds, having the highest bio diversity in Asia with the strengths of strong culture and eco-tourism drive, which should be segmented and differentiated. A culture and eco tour would be the ideal selling point in a new strategy to replace the outdated and easily replicable sun and sand strategy, he said.

South Asia’s total number of arrivals for 2009 is only 6.9 million. Northeast Asia has recorded around 196 million and Southeast Asia has recorded almost 62 million tourist arrivals.

Considering these figures there is only a very small number of tourists recorded in this region. It is very vital that we analyze and prepare a strategic plan for minimum of five years to improve the tourist arrivals to this region.

“Successful and sustainable tourism development and competition in the international tourist market depends on the extent to which tourists find their travel experiences impeded or facilitated. The Governments have a crucial role relaxing some of the tourism policies and reducing impediments, which will have a positive impact in contributing to the national development,” Lokuhetti said.

The air transport industry is a key determinant in the development of tourism worldwide, including Asia.According to PATS and UNWTO reports it is expanding twice as fast as the general output of the world economy, with further growth potential expected over the next two decades. In the developing countries, air transport accounts for around 80 percent of international tourist arrivals.

The recent trend towards liberalization had been through the spread of open skies agreements, widespread airline alliances and the emergence of low-cost airlines.The main issue motivating these dynamic is the need to minimize costs while maintaining the quality of services and extending connections within regions and throughout the world.

Source = dailynews.lk