Sri Lanka Gets US$ 18 m boost for sustainable tourism from World Bank
Saturday, 24 May, 2010
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Sri Lanka tourism received a US$18 million boost from the World Bank (WB) last week for related technical assistance, to develop infrastructure and to extend Small and Medium Enterprises.
The project, which has a maturity period of 20 years and a grace period of 10 years, aims at strengthening the institutional framework for the tourism sector to facilitate environmentally and socially sound investments, particularly in the eastern region.
The project will provide technical assistance and funding to all five tourism bodies of Lanka, which includes the Ministry of Tourism, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management and Sri Lanka Conventions Bureau. The aid provided will address the overall efficiency and value of the institutions.
The project is centred around three components: to provide technical assistance and funding, to improve highly localised tourism related infrastructure services in the east and to improve and extend the product content and supply chains of Small and Medium Enterprises.
As a component of providing technical assistance and funding to the main bodies of domestic tourism, the project will support institutional and regulatory reforms within the required capacity building in local government for various services. The services include enabling the provinces, SMEs and the community through on-line registration of tourist establishments, issue of permits and licenses, and a complete one stop shop the industry has wanted for years.
The technical support will also enable management information systems (MIS) linking work plans to get in place within the industry, staff key performance indicators (KPIs) which will lead to improved accountability and user client focus. A complaint notification and emergency information "hotline" for timely and accurate user information will also be in place under World Bank support.
Under component two, under which the WB will provide support to improving highly localised tourism related infrastructure services in the east, the project will provide funding for local tourism plans in the identified tourism development zones.
It will identify infrastructure gaps in tourism related activities and the specific locations it can offer. A World Bank notice states that this will be based on consultation with local communities to ensure that possible negative aspects are identified and addressed.
Under improving and extending the product content and supply chains of the SMEs, a sub-body is set to be established as a Matching Grant Facility (MGF) for tourism firms or suppliers to tourism firms, such as agri and poultry farms. The matching grant will not exceed US$ 25,000. The facility will be available to all medium and small tourism related firms on a re-imbursement basis. Listed large companies will be excluded. This would be conducted under strict supervision of the MGF who will refer and analyse the presented projects before approval.
Valere Tjolle
Valere
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