No issue in funding tourism promotional activities: official

By Shabiya Ali Ahlam
Sri Lanka’s Tourism Ministry expressed confidence in the promotional programmes carried out as planned with no hiccups as steady funding lines for activities have been secured.

According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) officials, the Treasury has assured the tourism industry would receive its share of embarkation tax, which is US $ 5 per person.
The industry is also slated to receive a net amount of Rs.2.5 billion this year from the Tourism Development Levy (TDL) fund, which was transferred to the consolidated fund at the Treasury. 
Furthermore, the industry has been allocated additional funding from the Budget 2016, to the tune of Rs.3.8 billion for infrastructure development, including the MICE industry, and Rs.500 million to uplift and develop the tourist hotspots.

“We are certain there will be no issues with regard to the spending of planned promotional activities and development work for 2016. In addition to the resources made available, we also have unspent money to support our endeavours,” said Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs Ministry Secretary Janaka Sugathadasa.

Commenting on having access to the TDL fund, which was transferred to the Treasury as stated in the 2016 Budget, Sugathadasa once again said there would be “no issue”.

By September, the SLTDA is to indicate its monetary requirements along with the activities and projects planned. 

“Based on the plan submitted, the Treasury would decide to release funds from the TDL. We will have to do our marketing and justify the need for the fund. 

The current system is transparent and we welcome that,” he stated.

With regard to the TDL, which was voluntarily paid by the hotels by way of a cess, the official said it remained unclear if it would be re-imposed or not, but asserted that even without that channel, the authorities were confident the industry would be able to manage with allocations from the national budget.