With a view to rapidly advancing the tourism sector in the Northern Province, a special high level discussion with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and senior provincial officials was held at the Governor’s Secretariat this evening – on Friday, 24 April 2026, under the chairmanship of the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan.
The meeting extensively examined the challenges, practical constraints, and future strategies associated with developing the province’s tourism sector in the current on-the-ground context.
Addressing the gathering, the Hon. Governor stated that the current government, led by His Excellency the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, is working with strong commitment to advance tourism development in the Northern Province. He noted that while numerous development initiatives are being implemented with integrity, it is a matter of concern that certain government departments are hindering the effective execution of these valuable projects. He emphasized that such bureaucratic obstacles must be removed without delay, and called on officials to act proactively and contribute more effectively.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman of the Northern Provincial Tourism Bureau, Dr. J. Vivekananthan, stated that at the National Thai Pongal event in Jaffna attended by the His Excellency the President, he had pledged to transform the Northern Province into Sri Lanka’s premier tourism hub within the next two years. He emphasized that, to achieve this goal, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority should devolve the powers currently under its purview to the Provincial Bureau, noting in particular that granting the province the authority to register small-scale tourist accommodations would significantly accelerate progress.
Jaffna District Hon. Members of Parliament K. Ilankumaran and S. Shiribavanandaraja commented on the current mood of tourists and the concerns of investors, noting that visitors are not drawn to the region solely for sea bathing but increasingly seek adventure sports and diverse entertainment experiences. Drawing comparisons with destinations such as Maldives, where tourists are attracted by unique concepts like overwater huts on small islands, they pointed out that the Northern Province possesses similar natural environments and island potential. However, they emphasized that prolonged delays in obtaining permits to establish tourist centers have led to significant disappointment among foreign investors, many of whom leave without proceeding further, and stressed that such bureaucratic red tape must be urgently reformed.
This was followed by a special presentation by representatives of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority on the province’s tourism network plans. They also presented a proposal to develop theme resorts under the Sri Lanka Tourism Department, aimed at promoting tourism in a structured and sustainable manner.
The development of Mannar and Nedunthivu as “thematic tourism destinations” was also discussed in detail. Although related initiatives had been launched several years ago, officials noted that progress to date has been unsatisfactory.
It was also explained how the “one stop shop” mechanism is being implemented to facilitate tourism related investments and minimize delays faced by investors..
It was reported that when such themed resort projects are implemented through the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the difficulties associated with obtaining permits from other government departments will be reduced, thereby facilitating smoother project execution and contributing to a significant increase in tourist arrivals to those areas.
Accordingly, the authorities requested full cooperation to expedite the implementation of the project in Mannar and Delft. The Northern Provincial Governor and the Hon. Members of Parliament assured their complete support and commitment to providing the necessary administrative assistance to facilitate its timely execution.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary to the Governor of the Northern Province, Sivapathasundaram Saththiyaseelan, the Secretary to the Provincial Ministry of Local Government and Tourism of the Northern Province, A. Sothinathan, Jaffna District Hon. Members of Parliament K. Ilankumaran, S. Sribavanandaraja and J. Rajeevan, along with Deputy Director of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Krishantha Popage, Assistant Director S. Dadeepan, Chairman of the Northern Province Tourism Development Bureau Dr. J. Vivekananthan, Coordinator to the Chairman of the Jaffna District Coordination Committee Sundaramoorthy Kabilan, and several other senior officials.
