State Minister of Tourism –  Mrs. Diana Gamage says that Sri Lanka has welcomed 763,000 tourists during the first 07 months of this year, contributing to a significant income of approximately US $800 million.

She further emphasized the success of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s program aimed at strengthening the national economy through the growth of the tourism industry. This accomplishment has played a crucial role in bolstering Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves, she added.

State Minister Mrs. Diana Gamage shared her perspective during a press briefing at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) today (01) under the theme ‘Collective Path to a Stable Country.’

Speaking further, the State Minister further pointed out importance introducing new approaches and adopting innovative strategies to enhance the tourism industry. She emphasized the necessity of developing active cities to attract tourists with active nightlife, stating that visitors do not seek out lifeless destinations or dead cities.

“In order to attract more tourists, it is crucial to extend the operating hours of tourist destinations, allowing visitors to have a more enjoyable experience. This may involve keeping certain places open later into the night, providing various entertainment options, and facilitating activities that appeal to tourists,” she has pointed out.

Ms. Gamage also said as Sri Lanka plans to host the final competition of the World Travel Awards (WTA) in December this year with the expected participation of 117 countries.

Headline inflation, as measured by the year-on-year (Y-o-Y) change in the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI, 2021=100)1 decreased to a single digit of 6.3 per cent in July 2023 from 12 per cent in June 2023.

The decline in the headline inflation is broadly in line with the disinflation path envisaged by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CB) in July 2023, the banking regulator said on Monday.

The Food category, after nearly four years, recorded a deflation (Y-o-Y) of 1.4 per cent in July 2023 compared to the inflation of 4.1 per cent observed in June 2023. Meanwhile, the Non-Food inflation (Y-o-Y) decreased further to 10.5 per cent in July 2023 from 16.2 per cent in June 2023.

The monthly change of the CCPI recorded at -1.12 per cent in July 2023 due to the combined effect of price decreases of -1.13 per cent observed in the items of Non-Food category and the marginal price increases of 0.01 per cent recorded in the items of Food category. The core inflation (Y-o-Y), which reflects the underlying inflation in the economy, decreased to 6.1 per cent in July 2023 from 9.8 per cent in June 2023

“Looking ahead, based on the available information, inflation is expected to moderate further and stabilise around the targeted level over the medium term. This disinflation process is supported by the lagged impact of tight monetary and fiscal policies, improvements on the supply side, the softening of energy and food inflation, and the favourable base effect,” it was stated.

(sundaytimes.lk)

Local poultry producers have agreed to reduce the price of chicken by Rs.100 per kilogram, the Ministry of Agriculture says.

According to the Ministry, the producers have stated their assent during a meeting between the Minister of Agriculture and the Poultry Producers Associations.

Pointing out that one of the reasons for the hike in chicken prices was the Rs. 75/- import tax imposed on maize, the poultry producers have requested that the tax be reduced to Rs. 25/-.

The minister had informed them that he would raise the matter with the president.