Nov 26, 2012 (LBT) - National heritage of Sri Lanka plays an important role in developing tourism industry and is also a part of Sri Lankan tourism industry.It has its distinctive features of attraction for tourists in both Sri Lanka and other countries.

Private sector plays a major role in maximizing facilities and attractiveness of public places across the country.Spectacular construction and architectural designs of Sri Lankan hotels had a huge impact on hotel construction activities in India and Maldives.

It is expected to target highest tourists arrival of 1 Mn by the end of this year with a revenue of $ 800 Mn. However,earning potential of tourism industry is  not so ambitious compared to countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka is nowhere the targets that it's rival destinations are achieving today.

These ideas were conveyed by Senior Minister for Monetary Co-operation Dr Sarath Amunugama addressing a seminar on ‘Future Possibilities for Mutual Beneficial and Sustainable Heritage Management in Sri Lanka,’ organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in partnership with Centre for International Heritage Activities.

According to the minister, Sri Lanka currently has 200,000 archaeological sites across the country and it is a gigantic task for the government to allocate funds for excavation, preservation of these sites.The government has to spend large amount of money every year in order to maintain and protect these archaeological sites. The Minister said, now it is the time for private sector to participate in heritage management activities in Sri Lanka.

Ambassador of Netherlands to Sri Lanka Louis W. M Piet has also noted that the private sector and the public sector have a lot to offer to each other. Public private cooperation has found its way into this sector to provide more sustainable protection of heritage by incorporating historic preservation into general urban planning.Netherlands aspires to generate new enthusiasm for new collaborative and creative ideas for cultural heritage management in Sri Lanka.