North takes centre stage in tourism development drive

• Govt. says ADB and World Bank-funded tourism projects focused on North and East; World Bank agrees to a further $ 100 m
• BOI-approved Colombo-North cruise service, Delft carbon-neutral plan and Mannar projects aim to draw visitors from the South
• Northern Province tourism plan to set project priorities; Kokkilai chosen as sustainable tourism village
• 202 young people from Jaffna and Kilinochchi trained and placed in jobs; hotel skills course heading to Mullaitivu

Tourism Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe

The North and East have been the main focus of tourism development projects funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank, Tourism Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe told Parliament last week. 

He outlined plans covering infrastructure, investment, community tourism, skills and promotion in the Northern Province.

Responding to MP Rajeevan Jeyachandramoorthy, Prof. Ranasinghe said the World Bank has agreed to provide $ 100 million for further tourism development. The Board of Investment (BOI) has approved a cruise service between Colombo and the North, and development is due to begin soon.

“We hope significant tourist traffic from the South will reach the North once the cruise service starts,” he said.

The British High Commission has agreed to carry out several projects in the Mannar District. Delft Island has been identified for development as a carbon-neutral tourist destination, and some funding agencies have agreed to finance it.

“There are a number of development projects, as well as the global promotion campaign. We hope in the coming years significant tourism traffic from the South will lead to the North as well,” Prof. Ranasinghe said.

The new Northern Province tourism plan will guide the effort. It assesses tourism potential, infrastructure needs and development opportunities while safeguarding ecosystems. The plan also stresses protecting local culture, involving local communities and respecting their aspirations, and it sets out how projects across the province will be prioritised and implemented.

Under the plan, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has selected Kokkilai Piliyamune village as a sustainable tourism village. The initiative will support community-based organisations, small-scale infrastructure, livelihood and skills programs, local heritage tourism products and authentic tourism experiences.

Details of projects to improve access to eco-tourism sites in the province were tabled in Parliament. They cover work done in 2025 and work planned for 2026 through district secretariats and local government institutions.

The SLTDA has also agreed to set up five tourism facility centres under the Clean Sri Lanka program. It has written to the District Secretary asking for a suitable location in the Northern Province.

The Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM) hotel school in the Jaffna District trains more than 100 young people for the hospitality sector each year. Since 2025, the SLITHM has also run a three-month hotel multi-tasker course for the children of unemployed families receiving Samurdhi, the Government’s welfare benefit for low-income households. The course is run with the Samurdhi Department and private hotel schools.

In 2025, the course trained and placed in jobs 102 young people from the Jaffna District and 100 from the Kilinochchi District, and it is continuing into 2026. Talks are under way with the Mullaitivu District Secretariat to run the course there once arrangements are finalised.

The Ministry also plans cultural and culinary festivals to showcase the culture, traditions, arts, cuisine and heritage of the Northern Province and Jaffna. Its national and international public relations, digital promotion, and work with media, influencers and content creators will market the North, including Jaffna, to the global tourism market.