.
Asked Date
2026-07-23
Asked by
Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran, M.P.
Ministry
Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism
Legislature
Tenth Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka
Session
First Session
(a) (i) The Government has identified the tourism potential of the tourist attractions in the Northern Province, including in the Mullaitivu District. The Northern Provincial Tourism Bureau has prepared the 2026-2030 Tourism Development Plan for the Northern Province in collaboration with the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies of the University of Vavuniya, and plans to implement the necessary programmes to further develop it and make the Mullaitivu District a more attractive tourism destination for local and foreign tourists.
It has identified in detail the tourism potential, the major tourist attractions, resources, development opportunities, environmental analysis, gap analysis, strategic interventions, risk mitigation measures et cetera of each district of the Northern Province, including the Mullaitivu District. District-level meetings of government and non-government stakeholders were held throughout the Northern Province in the preparation of this Development Plan. The stakeholders’ meeting for Mullaitivu District was held on 13th November, 2025 at the Mullaitivu District Secretariat, where 76 tourist attractions were identified in the district alone and 10 tourist destinations were selected by the stakeholders, considering their tourism potential and development importance.
(ii) Considering these environmental and tourism values, the Northern Provincial Tourism Bureau has identified these areas in the Mullaitivu District as high-priority tourist destinations in the Tourism Development Plan 2026-2030, and the proposed development projects will be implemented in phases in the future.
In order to promote domestic and foreign tourist arrivals in the Mullaitivu District, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism released funds to the Mullaitivu District Secretary in 2025 for the following projects and those projects were completed in 2025 itself.
· Construction of a resting place with bathroom facilities at Kokkilai Puliyamunai Lagoon - Rs. 9.9 million
· Provision of passenger transport boats for Kokkilai Puliyamunai Lagoon - Rs. 9.92 million
Furthermore, a provision of Rs. 9.58 million has been released to the Mullaitivu District Secretary for the development of infrastructure at Kokkilai Puliyamunai Lagoon in the year 2024, and the said project had also been completed.
(iii) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism has informed the Mullaitivu District Secretary by letter dated 09.02.2026 to submit tourism project proposals of the Mullaitivu District for the year 2027. Accordingly, 13 tourism project proposals had been submitted by letter dated 09.04.2026 of the Mullaitivu District Secretary and out of those project proposals, the following two project proposals had been forwarded to the Department of National Planning to obtain necessary approval for implementation under provisions from the 2027 budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism.
Those two projects are,
development of access roads and income generating facilities on the Mullaitivu coastline - Rs. 80 million.
Pulipenthakal Beach Tourism Development Project, Maritimepattu - Rs. 53.5 million.
(iv) As per the Tourism Development Plan 2026-2030, there are significant investment opportunities for private sector investors to the develop tourism business in Mullaitivu District, especially in the coastal areas, and necessary measures are to be taken for that purpose.
Sir, since it is lengthy Answer for part (v), I table* it.
* සභාමේසය මත තබන ලද පිළිතුර:
* சபாபீடத்தில் வைக்கப்பட்ட விடை :
* Answer tabled :
(v) Yes.
(a) Current Programmes
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has already established a system to train and employ youths in all provinces of Sri Lanka including Mullaitivu District as tour guides, eco-tourism service providers and professionals in hospitality sector.
(b) Implementation Method
From the year 2022, all provincial councils have been delegated the power to identify and select suitable candidates as per the qualifications mentioned in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2140/17, dated 10.09.2019 and the selection procedure approved by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Accordingly, the selection of candidates will be done by the respective provincial councils, considering the needs and demands of the respective province. This programme is implemented covering all nine provinces of Sri Lanka, including the Northern Province and the Mullaitivu District. All the guidelines, procedures, required documents and written instructions required for the implementation of this programme have been communicated to all provincial councils on 25.01.2022.
(c) Training Process
The selected candidates will be referred to the relevant training programmes conducted by the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management and candidates who successfully complete the training and pass the prescribed examinations will be eligible to obtain licences.
(d) Licence Insurance Process
After the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management forwards the examination results to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority issues the relevant licences free of charge upon payment of the prescribed fee by the applicant to the relevant provincial council and submission of the required documents.
Therefore, qualified youth in the Mullaitivu District also have the opportunity to undergo training and obtain licences under this system, when the relevant provincial council implements programmes based on provincial requirements.
Moreover, in addition to the above programme, the Northern Provincial Tourism Bureau, in collaboration with the Mullaitivu District Secretariat, has initiated the establishment of a Community-based Tourism Society to promote eco-system activities in the Kokkilai West area. Under this programme, the beneficiaries are to be provided with the necessary initial capital to prepare and serve food for tourists. Furthermore, training programmes on provision of tourism services, customer service, basic food safety and hygiene and health care practices are planned to be implemented. For the successful implementation of this programme, it is expected to create sustainable eco-tourism development by obtaining the cooperation of relevant government institutions, local communities, the private sector and other stakeholders.
In addition, the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management will conduct a three-month Hotel Multitasker Course under the title of “Sathkaraye Shrama Sena” from 2025 in collaboration with the Department of Samurdhi and other private hotel schools for the unemployed children of Samurdhi beneficiary families across the Island. At present, this programme is being conducted in about six districts and discussions are being held with the Mullaitivu District Secretary to hold this programme in the Mullaitivu District as well, and the course is scheduled to be commenced once the arrangements are made.
(vi) The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority will gazette the tourism zones as per the Tourism Development Plan 2026- 2030, and will take necessary actions accordingly in the future.
(b) Not relevant.
Answered Date
2026-07-23
Answered by
Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe, M.P.
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