Govt. moves to establish National Tourism Council soon: Deputy Minister

Wednesday, 25 June 2025 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Tourism Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe

The Government is set to consolidate its fragmented tourism governance structure through the creation of a powerful National Tourism Council, with policy paper already submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers approval last week. “The proposal has been forwarded to the Cabinet office. With approval, we can start and until such time, the new Presidential Unit will carry out the Council’s functions,” Tourism Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe told the Daily FT.

He described the proposed Council as the apex body that will sit above the four existing institutional framework to address deep-rooted inefficiencies that have long stalled tourism development in Sri Lanka.

Under the new structure, institutions such as Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), and Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) will fall under the purview of the Council. However, the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM), which handles training and human resources development for the sector, will remain an autonomous entity.

The Deputy Minister said the overlapping jurisdiction and bureaucratic inaction have delayed critical projects and eroded investor confidence. “The establishment of the National Tourism Council will address longstanding bottlenecks and bring coherence and accountability to tourism sector planning and execution,” he added.

On 6 June, the Government announced the formation of a new unit under the Presidential Secretariat dedicated to integrating all sectors of the tourism trade to streamline and bolster the tourism industry.

The initiative, revealed by President Anura Kumara Disanayake, aims to create a cohesive and robust framework to drive the nation’s ambitious tourism goals, including making Sri Lanka a premier year-round travel destination.

The announcement followed a high-level discussion at the Presidential Secretariat, where President Dissanayake met with key stakeholders, including hotel owners, tour operators, and investors. The dialogue centred on developing effective strategies to attract tourists during the traditional off-season, or lean period, a critical step towards sustainable growth.

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