Minister of Tourism, Lands, Sports and Youth Affairs Vijitha Herath held a productive follow-up meeting with Mr. Gevorg Sargsyan, Country Manager of the World Bank for Sri Lanka and Maldives, to review ongoing and future collaborations aligned with Sri Lanka’s national development priorities. The discussions placed special focus on the Energy, Tourism, Ports & Logistics, and Agriculture sectors.
In relation to tourism, Minister Herath expressed his deep appreciation for the World Bank’s phased funding of USD 200 million dedicated to tourism development. This funding supports a wide range of initiatives aimed at advancing the sector in line with the country’s national vision.
Both parties agreed that, beyond simply increasing tourist arrivals, priority should be placed on attracting high-value visitors, leveraging digital promotion to target niche markets, and improving connectivity in the Northern and Eastern regions to unlock their untapped potential.
The meeting concluded with a shared understanding that strengthening tourism institutions and building institutional capacity will be essential to manage growth sustainably and ensure lasting benefits.
Minister Herath extended his thanks to the World Bank for its continued partnership and unwavering commitment to supporting Sri Lanka in building a sustainable and resilient future.
