July 27, Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan government has approved a lease of Bird Island, located on Beira Lake, to the Sri Jinarathana Vocational Technical Training Centre for 50 years.
The decision aims to transform the island into a cultural heritage site to attract tourists. The proposal was made by the Chief Incumbent of the Gangarama Temple and supported by the Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, receiving Cabinet approval.
Bird Island covers 143 perches on the southwest part of Beira Lake and was originally transferred to the Urban Development Authority (UDA) in 2000 under the Beira Lake Restoration Project, part of the Colombo City Development Plan.
The lease value is based on the government’s Chief Assessor’s valuation. Minister Bandula Gunawardena stated that this development would enhance Colombo’s cultural and tourist appeal, contributing to the city’s vibrancy.
Tourism and Lands Minister Harin Fernando revealed plans to transform the Beira Lake area into a major entertainment destination, inspired by Clarke Quay River in Singapore, featuring amusement, dining, and entertainment.
The initiative, personally assigned by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, includes floating restaurants, street food corners, and other amusement options. The goal is to develop an active district while preserving the cultural value of the country.
The UDA will manage the cleaning and maintenance of Beira Lake to support the new operations. Additionally, Sri Lanka has partnered with Extreme, a global adventure brand, to introduce high-profile adventure sports like hot air ballooning, skydiving, and bungee jumping, aimed at attracting tourists and boosting spending on these activities.
Minister Fernando announced ambitious tourism targets, aiming for over USD 2.5 billion in revenue from 1.6 million tourist arrivals in 2023, with projections to increase to 2.5 million arrivals and USD 4 billion in revenue by 2024.
This would position tourism as Sri Lanka’s second-largest foreign exchange earner, surpassing the apparel sector. The strategy includes attracting high-spending tourists from new source markets such as Japan, Korea, and Australia.
Fernando highlighted that 33% of Sri Lanka’s tourists are repeat visitors. The country has promoted itself with the marketing concept “Sri Lanka Come Back for More” and “Sri Lanka, a Safe Destination to Travel” on platforms like the World Travel Market (WTM).
The efforts have encouraged more airlines to add Colombo to their destinations, and several international hotel chains are showing interest in opening properties in Sri Lanka. As Minister of Lands, Fernando mentioned that land for these projects could be offered with minimal bureaucracy and favorable conditions, further boosting tourism development
