Sri Lanka launches Kalpitiya as new S Asia tourism destination

Fourteen unspoilt islands basking in the sun rimmed by the blue waters of the Indian Ocean and wide sandy beaches await to be discovered by the discerning visitors in all its glory

Kalpitiya a stretch of land 150 kilometres North of Colombo is skirted by sea on one side and lagoon on the other. There are many islands – small and large formed within both sea and lagoon. These islands are a treat to see. Most of these, especially the ones by the lagoon, are covered with green mangroves.

Sri Lanka Tourism has launched an exciting tourism development project based in Kalpitiya in a bid to place Sri Lanka as one the most sought after destinations in South Asia at the end of the next decade. Fourteen unspoilt islands basking in the sun rimmed by the blue waters of the Indian Ocean and wide sandy beaches await to be discovered by the discerning visitors in all its glory.

There about 22 species of core mangroves found in Sri Lanka. According to botanists, out of the 22, some very rare species are found in habitats in these islands. One such find in the island is locally known in Sinhala as “Rathambilla” is an endangered species. Even without botanical interest, vegetation on the islands is a treat for the lay visitor who values nature at its unspoilt best.

In addition, these islands and other wetlands around have been habitats for local and migratory birds of different species during the season of November and March each year. Another specialty that the visitor will enjoy is the marine sanctuary extended to about 307 sq km. This includes in addition to tropical exotic fish, the coral formations found in shallow waters in varied colours and forms.

Another salient feature for the connoisseur of nature in Kalpitiya is the dolphins, who can be spotted without sailing into deep seas. The fishermen consider dolphins as friends, who lend a hand to come to shore when they are unable to find their way. In addition, sea turtles and whales also frequent the sea. There is a great amount of bio diversity in the area.

The Kalpitiya Integrated Development Project (KITDP) will select certain islands best suited to be developed as resorts to generate environment friendly sustainable tourism. The attractions are varied; a Bar Reef Marine Sanctuary, lagoons, botanical gardens, virgin forests, fauna & flora, mangroves, Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Bernard Goonetilleke said “This project will not only develop the area which, has hitherto been un-explored but also provide employment to the people in the area, provide livelihood to the fishermen and improve the economic situation of Kalpitiya”

The Ministry of Tourism is embarking on an ambitious project to attract ‘ultra-rich’ tourists to the luxury accommodations on 14 islands in the Kalpitiya Dutch Bay Region with golf courses, amusement parks, observation towers and even a full-fledged international airport for which an airstrip has already been earmarked in Pallavi close to the naval base.

The total investment is expected to be US$4 billion. According to the Ministry which held a press conference this past week to explain the ‘Kalpitiya Integrated Tourism Development Project’, Sri Lanka will stand to benefit significantly in terms of employment, infrastructure development and to make tourism the number one foreign exchange earner in the country.

The Kalpitya project is said to be completely eco-friendly with sustainable power generation and consumption, green technology, green building design. The islands will feature luxury accommodations and condominiums. The project is expected to increase annual tourist arrivals by an additional 1 million and increase average spending by four fold. It will create 15,000 jobs through direct employment and 50,000 jobs through indirect employment.

Standards of living for the 1500 families in the area are expected to improve. The Ministry stressed that there will not be any displacement of communities and no resettlement. Road development, water and electricity, police stations and hospitals as well as the airport is aimed at boosting the infrastructure to create a mini city.

Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board (SLTB) Renton de Alwis said the SLTB has several plans for the East and are encouraging private sector investments. Pasikudah is a high end eco-friendly development meant to attract surfers. He said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is assisting in the development of Kalkudah around the concept of ‘rooms in homes’ where the entire area would be identified as a resort with quality control assurances. This concept goes beyond the traditional resort definition of hotels but would still serve tourists who want to experience the local culture.

Valere Tjolle