The government is planning to establish a new National Tourism Commission that will have greater authority and oversight than the existing four apex bodies related to the tourism sector, Tourism Deputy Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe announced on Wednesday.

The new body will be implemented as part of the government’s efforts to streamline decision-making, improve governance and efficiency in the tourism sector, the Deputy Minister said.

Currently, Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is run by four apex bodies, including the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTB), Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) and Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM).

“The National Tourism Commission will be at the top of these. This apex body will have full responsibility and authority for the entire tourism sector. “Our aim is to simplify the complexities of dealing with multiple organizations and ministries,” Ranasinghe said.

He further shared that the government is also ready to formulate strategies to formalize the informal sector. It currently accounts for 60 percent of the industry and is in discussions with global support institutions such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to increase it and improve industry standards.

“Our goal is to ensure that at least 80 percent of the industry is formalized under our guidance, supervision and monitoring,” Ranasinghe said.

Moreover, considering the volatility of the tourism sector, a Social Welfare Protection Fund will be introduced along with a contributory pension scheme to support employees engaged in the industry.

According to the Deputy Minister, the government is ready to provide initial funding for both these initiatives.

In addition, a new Tourism Act is being developed to make structural and operational changes across the industry.

“The concept paper was approved by the Cabinet last week, and it will bring significant changes in structures and operations,” Mr. Ranasinghe said.