Sri Lanka: South Asia's 1st Disneyland to open in Hambantota

Team from Disneyland has agreed to visit Sri Lanka in November to hold discussions on setting up South Asia's first Disneyland in Hambantota.

"Diana (State Tourism Minister) walking the talk! Team from Disneyland have AGREED to visit #SriLanka in Nov. to hold discussions on setting up South Asia's 1st Disneyland in Hambantota!" tweeted Jamila Husian, Associate Editor of Daily Mirror.

Diana Gamage will be visiting US soon to discuss plans for the USD 18 billion investment following an invitation from Walt Disney," added Husian.

State Minister Diana Gamage earlier said that officials from Disneyland have been in discussions with her to open a Disneyland in Sri Lanka.

She said that this project would boost Sri Lanka's tourism sector.

Notably, Sri Lanka tourism will get a huge exposure after the country won the hosting rights for 'Miss Tourism World - International Finale 2022' in Colombo.

Croatia and Russia, which were the other two countries shortlisted to host the 75th edition of the 'Miss Tourism World 2022' global Pageant' voluntarily opted out to allow Sri Lanka to host this event, reported Sunday Observer.

This was because these two countries knew that the event would play a major role towards tourism revival in Sri Lanka, said Global Director of 'Miss Tourism World - International Finale 2022', David Singh.

Sri Lanka will host the event from December 8-21 with winners from 80 countries giving a destination value to Sri Lanka of nearly USD 40 million.

During the pageant, they will visit all the important places of tourism in Sri Lanka including Kandy, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Habarana, Ella, Arugam Bay, Mirissa, and Galle he said. This will in turn promote these destinations as well, reported Sunday Observer.

Sri Lanka is facing an unprecedented crisis due to economic mismanagement, corruption, and agricultural crises.

Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, is under the grip of an unprecedented economic turmoil, the worst in seven decades, leaving millions struggling to buy food, medicine, fuel and other essentials