The European Union is taking action to grant Euro 3.5 million (Rs.700 million) to Sri Lanka to rebound from COVID-19 tourism shock.
The European Union office in Colombo has sent papers regarding the grant to the European Commission’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium for approval, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) sources yesterday told the Daily News.
SLTDA Director General Dhammika Wijayasinghe said SLTDA officials together and Finance Ministry External Resources Department officials and the EU officials in Colombo had discussed the grant and it has been agreed that this specific funding should strengthen Small and Medium Enterprises in the tourism industry that has suffered a setback due to the effect of COVID-19 outbreak.
“The grant is also expected help develop Sri Lanka’s nature based Ayurvedic treatment (hela vedakama) as a product to be recognized by European tourists,” she said.
“Most tourists abstain from visiting Ayurvedic treatment centers because that facility is not covered by their insurance. Once the Ayurvedic Treatment becomes a brand it shall have insurance coverage,” she said.
The European Union sources told us that they plan to provide some assistance in this respect immediately and the rest will be delivered later in the year and will continue thereafter.
The Ambassadors of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Romania had discussed the program in this regard with Task Force Chair Basil Rajapaksa in April, the sources said.
The European Union officials recently discussed the funding arrangements with Tourism and Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranathunga, who had submitted a proposal of the small and medium businessmen in the tourism industry about their ideas and requirement to boost their businesses to the European Commission, said Director General Dhammika Wijayasinghe.The European Commission had expressed their interest to back up those proposals, she added.