The Chairman of the Sri Lanka tourist board, Udaya Nanayakkara said the project is to cost around 320 million US dollars.

The Minister of Tourism Anura Bandaranaike said that he had prepared a cabinet proposal to help the industry back on its feet. “I am proposing Duty Free concessions to facilitate the reconstruction of tourist hotels. This will include building material as well as vehicles.”

“Providing soft loans and making concessions to businesses already in debt will be some of the proposals I have put forward to the relevant ministries” explained the minister of Tourism.

Commenting on the restrictions imposed on the constructions along the beaches, the minister said that it would have to be reconsidered.

“There are some government (BOI) approved hotel development projects where these companies have invested huge sums of money. It will be unfair to put restrictions on these big investors saying that they can only build 100 metres away from the sea. It is good to have these laws, but I do not see them as practical.”