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A similar type of island to
be built in Hambantota
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Sri Lanka Ports Authority is planning to create an artificial island for the first time
near the Hambantota Port to be used for tourist activities and boost tourism
industry in Sri Lanka. The historic project would be undertaken by Sri
Lankan Engineers attached to the Ports Authority. The feasibility studies
in this regard have been done and the Ports Authority is awaiting the final
clearance from the government. Ports Authority officials said that they are
looking at creating an island of minimum five acres.
The project is funded by the China Exim Bank and
the contractor will be executed by the China Harbour Engineering Company. Around
40,000 cubic meters has to be dredged under the second stage of the Hambantota
Harbour project and this dredged earth would be used to fill this proposed
island. Ports Authority officials said that when completed this land would be
leased out and international tenders will be called for development activities
after the completion of the island.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan authorities expect to triple revenue
to US$ three billion by 2016, with a target of attracting 2.5 million high
spending tourists by that year. Four
years after the conclusion of the bloody 30-year civil war, tourism has become
one of Sri Lanka's highest foreign exchange-earners with average annual revenue
of US$ one billion at present. The number of tourist arrivals last year was
1,005,605 while, in January this year 97,411 tourists visited the country. Sri Lanka has set a target of 22,500 rooms in the next five
years and aims to turn the entire country into a tourism development zone.
