Sri Lanka Tourism announced the establishment of the office of Commissioner for Tourism Administration to ensure the delivery of justice to any aggrieved party in the event of any injustice, unfair treatment or failure to perform any statutory obligations by any agencies in the tourism sector.

The new Office comes into operation with new institutional infrastructure implemented with the promulgation of the Tourism Act of 2005.

Appeal Court Judge L.K. Wimalachandra was appointed as the first Commissioner of Sri Lanka Tourism. The complaint forwarding procedure is to be announced in due course. Minister of Tourism, Milinda Moragoda speaking at the event to establish the new Commissioner’s Office on Saturday said that the government has attempted to create a partnership between the government and the private sector in order to develop the tourism industry. “Certain institutional reforms we have taken in the year 2007 have laid the foundation to build a Tourism Industry fit for the 21st century,” he said.

The Minister went on to state that three of the objectives he had set out for the Ministry had been achieved. One was creating a working “Sangha Advisory Council” for advice and guidance on certain aspects in the tourism industry. The second was to appoint an authority to recommend solutions for concerns and disputes that arise in the industry. The third objective was to distribute the book “Buddhism, Culture and Sri Lanka Pilgrim’s Guide” to every hotel room in Sri Lanka by the end of this year.

Chief Justice Sarath Silva speaking at this event commended the Minister saying that the law does not require the Minister to appoint a Commissioner and he had done so to ensure fairness in the tourism industry.