Sri Lanka Inbound Tour Operators Association (SLITO) President Chandra Wickramasinghe said Sri Lanka should be now promoted as a year round destination as the East coast is gearing up to meet the surging demand expected by 2010 season.

Wickramasinghe said with the elimination of terrorism and dawn of peace in the country the numbers of tourists visiting here are on the increase.

"Of course this is a gradual increase and one cannot expect a surge in arrivals overnight.It’s a turning point in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry," he pointed out.

In an interview with "The Traveller" following SLAITO’s Annual General meeting in Trincomalee he said what is needed is more rooms to meet the expected demand.

Wickramasinghe a senior tour operator and hotel owner in the country was re-elected President of SLAITO.

At least 4000-5000 rooms would be needed in the east coast to meet the demand he said adding that Sri Lanka’s east coast boasts of some of the most beautiful unspoilt beaches and other tourist attractions in the world has not seen a large influx of foreign tourists for many years as a result of the unsettled in the country.

Under the "Negenahira Navodaya" programme an exclusive 700 room beach resort is being developed in Passekudah and another project will be undertaken by the Tourism Ministry of the Eastern Provincial Council in Kuchcuveli in a 500 acres area he said.

Tourism Industry was the most affected industry in the country by the war Due to the war and the tourism industry has lost over US$ 12 billion as a result he explained.

But since the end of the war in mid May many foreign and domestic tourists have been visiting the area and this is a positive sign Wickramasinghe said.

President Rajapakse’s vision of targeting 2.5 million tourists for 2016 could be realistic if the industry gears it self fast to meet the challenge. What is needed is careful and effective planning in the development of infrastructure which sinequanon to meet the demands of modern day tourism he said.