Thursday Sep 04, 2025
Thursday Sep 04, 2025
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Tourism Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe -Pic by Daminda Harsha Perera
By Charumini de Silva
Tourism Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe yesterday confirmed that the Government has initiated the process of revising the Tourism Act of 2005, with the Cabinet already granting approval to draft a new Act.
However, he stressed that the exercise is still at an early stage and will require careful consultation with multiple stakeholders, including the private sector.
“The Cabinet approval to issue a new Act has been granted, and now it has to move through the legislative drafting process. It takes time, especially when many Government institutions are involved,” he told the Daily FT.
He noted that while there is a strong desire within the Government to modernise the Tourism Act, it cannot be rushed. “The private sector has expressed concerns about major changes, so the revisions must be well thought out,” he said, adding that they intend to include more Small and Medium Enterprise (SME)-related association representatives to the Board to ensure their voices are heard.
The Deputy Minister also acknowledged longstanding challenges with bureaucratic delays, particularly in procurement for tourism promotions such as overseas roadshows.
“Currently, we must follow Treasury procurement guidelines, which often add lengthy grace periods. What we are trying to do is minimise these steps and speed up the process,” he said.
The Deputy Minister pointed out that digitalisation, including a shift to e-procurement, is under consideration as part of wider reforms.
Prof. Ranasinghe reiterated that while the overhaul of the Tourism Act is essential, ongoing promotions and development efforts will not be put on hold.
“We can’t afford to spend too much time delaying campaigns. The work will continue, even as the new Act is developed,” he assured.
