Sri Lanka will be introducing high-end tourism projects and new travel opportunities in unspoiled areas of Dedduwa and Akurala in the Galle district in an effort to re-develop the Southern province, the Southern Development Ministry disclosed.
This was one of the key strategies being implanted by the government to rejuvenate the tourism industry battered by the Easter terror attacks. The Southern Development Ministry will be obtaining the services of a local or international consultancy agency with experience in transaction advisory services for large scale projects to initiate this project.
This agency is entrusted with the task of preparing and calling for an Expression of Interest and business proposals from interested parties.
The two areas will be converted into a high–end tourist attraction zone with an investment of around US$ 300 million which is made available for this purpose at present, a senior official of the ministry said.
The importance of having a canal from Dedduwa to Koggala was highlighted at the Cabinet meeting which approved this proposal recently, he said, adding that it will pave the way towards developing 14 islands in Koggala.
The Dedduwa area has already been singled out as a high–end tourism project area and it will continue on the South coast all the way up to Mirissa, he revealed. The Dedduwa tourism area has many natural attractions such as inland lakes wetlands, flora and fauna, diverse biodiversity, eco-systems, beaches, temples, villages, cultural activities and paddy and cinnamon cultivation.
The Dedduwa Lake project covering 1,800 hectares of wetland lies to the east of the present Bentota Holiday Resort. The development plan provides it to be linked by the re-opening of old waterways to Madhu Ganga 20 km to the south and also developing the area surrounding the Dedduwa Lake.
Leave your comments
Login to post a comment
Post comment as a guest