Powerboats set to hype tourist traffic
View(s):Powerboat riders are set to boost tourism in Sri Lanka which has been increasing in attractiveness to most locals. The country is also set to hold the opening of the World Aqua bike Championships next year. Lanka Powerboat Association (LPA) President Prasanna Ranaweera in an interview with the Business Times last week said Sri Lanka would be playing host to the opening round of the aquabike championships for 2017.
This would involve 60 participants from 20 countries who would take to the championships on their aqua bikes over a period of three days at Club Bentota.
Mr. Ranaweera noted that they would be having about 300 people involved in the conduct of the games in the South with the support of the British High Commission in Colombo. This event is tipped to create a room capacity of about 800 for visitors with the opening scheduled to cost around Rs.70 million. “It’s a family thing and everybody is involved,” Mr. Ranaweera noted commenting on the generation of tourist traffic to the country through the promotion of powerboat racing in Sri Lanka. By hosting at least one international event the LPA hopes to be able to attract at least 3000 people to visit the country.
In November a Formula 2 boat racing competition is scheduled to be held in Bentota with the participation of six boats from the UK. During this event, Mr. Ranaweera said they would be also conducting a Formula 2 programme for locals and a rescue diving programme as well. Formula 1 and 2 racers need rescue divers, it was noted and in this respect they would be carrying out a programme for those individuals interested in becoming part of this. Moreover, the LPA is also commencing programmes for young learners from the age of 9-16 years to become prop stars where they would be given a one-day course to get a feel of the sport, Mr. Ranaweera said.
He noted that thereafter they would be looking at the possibility of taking it to the provinces to increase awareness about the sport and ensure that in future there would be more such sportsmen who could participate in the championships. Another event is also been scheduled to be held in November in Alankudah, Kalpitiya with thundercats that would see the participation of three locals and three expatriates in an international race. A further sporting event titled “Aqua Vida” a beach games festival scheduled to be held in November as well would see the participation of about 1000 athletes in volleyball, water polo, handball, football, aquathlon, and rugby. This would become a key event targeting youth from 16-25 years and 25-35 year age categories.