The number of hotels that are being constructed on government land in the Pasi Kuda  Tourist Zone  amounts to 13.  Already investors have come forward for the construction of these hotels, and their investments will amount to Rs. 5,483 million.  The government has allocated Rs. 800 million for infrastructure development of this tourist zone. 

Minister of Labour and labour relations mr. Gamini lokuge, Deputy Minister of Economic Development Mr.Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province, Sivanethathurai Chandrakanthan, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board Dr. Nalaka Godage and several others attended the function.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeyawardene addressing a media conference in Colombo said that tourist arrivals in the South Asian region has increased by 5%  and in this arrivals in Sri Lanka has increased by 43% during the first four months of 2011.  These figures indicate, he said, that Sri Lanka has attracted the tourists more than other Asian countries including India, Nepal and Maldives. 

He said the Tourist Development Authority has launched a programme of registering private residences as tourist resorts and for this registration the residences should conform to the standards of the Authority and such residences should at least have six rooms.  He said that there are about 296 such residences registered presently as Tourist Resorts.(niz)