The implementation of the new Tourism Act is going through a transition period during which all views of industry stakeholders would be considered. As there was no specific time frame for the transition period, other measures have been taken to bring in the private sector participation in the affairs of the tourism industry, such as appointing those recommended by tourism associations to the board of the Tourist Board, said Milinda Moragoda, Minister of Tourism last Monday, March 5.

“I’m not saying that the measures being taken at present are a substitute for the new Act. It’s a transition step till we can consult the stakeholders on what we need to do,” the Minister said addressing the first press briefing after he assumed office as the new minister, held at the Sri Lanka Hotel School premises.

He said that when he took over, H.M.S.Samaranayake, a former chairman of the Tourist Board had done a review on the new Tourism Act. “ So what I actually recommended to the Cabinet was to give us a chance to go through a stakeholder consultation process. Pending that, we have set this up as a transition measure only. That’s why we are getting the private sector also involved. Even the new directors of the Tourist Board too have members from the private sector who would have come through the act itself,” the Minister said.

As part of the Cabinet decision that had been taken, there was a trust fund, which would have both government and private sector representation. The Tourist Board, Sri Lanka Conventions Bureau and other state institutions could make proposals to the trust fund during the transition period for promotional related and other activities, the minister said.

“The private sector has a big say in the Board now. These decisions were based on what the trade associations advised us and the Cabinet paper specifically talks about private sector representation. As you know there are other incentives given to the private sector in the form of electricity, loan related schemes, etc, “ the Minister pointed out.

“So one could see this as a transition phase since we can move forward and we have to do this in a practical way.”

Asked for the duration of the transitional period, Mr. Moragoda said that he would report back to the cabinet in three months. “ Lots of incentives mentioned are for six months. We could review it at that stage. There has to be a practical approach here. In theory everything is easy to do but when you sit down to really do it only problems arise. If I sit back and say until the world is perfect I’m not going to do it then I will be sitting there until the day I leave this office,” the Minister said.

He also said that some stakeholders had reservations on the new Tourism Act. “We have to find out what they are. That is the reality in a democracy. There are different viewpoints. I’m trying to make sure that we bring that all in,” he said and added that the transition period was a good opportunity for the private sector also to demonstrate that they also could push it and it could work.

At present the ministry was going through a process of consultation and listening to various people. A number of working groups were being formed. For example, a working group on whale watching had been formed to look into how to do it practically and set up a pilot project on whale watching. There would be another on pictures which could go into the Board’s website. There could be 15-20 working groups serviced by the ministry addressing those issues, said the Minister. “ There is also and idea to award presidential tourism awards for excellence. We have a working group on that to see whether we can develop it,” he added.

M.D.D. Peiris, a senior civil servant is scheduled to be appointed in an advisory capacity to monitor the progress of the working groups. The Cabinet is in the process of approving his appointment. About the working groups, the ministry would be servicing them through a rapporteur. The ministry is in the process of getting some foreign funding for it because it is a new concept, the Minister said adding that some of the working groups might not work as they would find that there was nothing worthwhile in that particular concept and would fizzle out.

On developing markets, that Minister said that Renton had a challenge to work out a strategy to move forward in the different markets. There were a number of discussions in China on tourism and Ministry Secretary P.M. Leelaratna would be going there for bilateral discussion this week and would probably follow it up by visits by the Minister or the Tourist Board Chairman. The idea was to take a step at a time to take the programme forward, the Minister said.

On travel advisories, Minister Moragoda said that they would do what they could and mange expectations. “There are no magic solutions. They can’t be done overnight. These things have to be done methodically. We have to talk to the ambassadors, travel operators. This is all about credibility. As Mr. Alwis rightly said, we must not talk too much, but do some work and thereafter deal with the advisory problem,” he said.

Asked for his views on domestic tourism, Minister Moragoda said he would take a personal interest in that area as it was a very important segment.

“We have started a consultation process. There is normal domestic tourism and also pilgrim tourism which we are looking at. One experience we had from China is the potential for pilgrim tourism to Sri Lanka. Especially where the Theravada Buddhism is concerned,” he observed.

“The other countries we are looking at on pilgrim tourism are Japan, Thailand and India,” he said but declined to give any numbers and added that numbers did not mean very much.”

Renton de Alwis, the new Tourist Board chief said that he had observed and had been impressed by the new minister’s vision for the country’s tourism and had no hestitation in accepting the offer to head that state institution for tourism.

“All stakeholders have to work with confidence all the way to achieve tourism targets,” he said.

Commenting on domestic tourism, Renton said that there could be no international tourism without a good domestic tourism. All countries that had a remarkable international tourism sector had a very good domestic tourism base.

“We have a good team and it’s time to stop talking and start working,” he said.

A very conductive environment has been created for all stakeholders to co-operate in the common objective of developing the tourism industry in the country with the appointment of Milinda Moragoda as the new minister, said George Michael, Senior Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism.

“All who want to improve the industry in the country have come on board to one platform to achieve the objective of 1.5 million tourists by the year 2010,”George said.

“We are a team now, with one objective and open to dialogue,” said George, adding, “Tourism is everyone’s business, from the big entrepreneur to the average man on the street.”

The new vision would definitely be implemented and it’s going to be a new tourism culture with parameters and boundaries clearly defined, he said.

George also said that in Renton de Alwis, who was playing his second innings as chairman of the Tourist Board, they had a firm believer in team work.