Sri Lanka to launch official sports tourism calendar and Destination Management Office

The Sri Lankan government is preparing an official national sports and events calendar to develop sports tourism as a key segment of the country's tourism industry. Deputy Minister of Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe announced that the Tourism and Sports ministries have agreed to work together to position Sri Lanka as a venue for international sporting events and festivals.

The plan includes establishing a Destination Management Office to streamline approvals, coordinate institutions, and attract sponsorships for events. Deputy Minister of Sports Sugath Thilakaratne and senior officials from both ministries attended the meeting, which also discussed a transparent approval mechanism and funding arrangements to support the new calendar and related tourism initiatives.