Dr sarath obeysekera 

Export Development  Board is quite active in trying to promote various export-oriented Industries to enhance foreign currency earnings for the country

One of the proposals they are promoting is the development of nautical tourism which involves boat and leisure craft building and various marinas around the island

One of the pioneers in Sri Lanka in nautical tourism Mr. Pier Pringers who is almost a  naturalized in Sri Lankan built few luxury boats to promote nautical tourism 

He invited the Tourist board to visit the boat which he called a Boutique floating hotel. Tourist Board misunderstood the meaning and visited the yard in Mirissa to inspect a boutique hotel 

When we met the tourist board to develop Game Fishing, they thought that they have to approve a boathouse  and the ground accommodation 

Tourism board does not have a clue what is nautical tourism and in their marketing strategy they cover only ground-based hotels etc

They hardly attended any of the EDB meetings to support nautical tourism which is the future

The government should appoint people who have broad-based exposure in the field of Nautical Tourism to support the bureaucrats who head these organizations 

Dr. Sarath Obeysekera
CEO Walkers Colombo Shipyard
Colombo
Sri Lanka