(TAN): Sri Lanka has inaugurated an underwater museum in the seas off the coast of Galle even as the country plans to reopen to tourism on August 1, reports said.
The port city of Galle, located on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, is reportedly popular with both domestic and international tourists. The city, founded by the Portuguese in the 16th century, and later expanded by the Dutch, draws a large volume of visitors every year, as per reports.
According to reports, the museum, built by the country’s navy, is around 50 feet underwater in the Galle harbour area. Navy Commander Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva, a veteran underwater diver, declared the attraction open by cutting a ribbon underwater at the gate of the museum, reports said.
[ALSO READ: Australian borders might remain closed until 2021]
The statues installed in the museum have reportedly been handmade by Sri Lankan Navy personnel using discarded concrete and other eco-friendly materials.
“We managed to complete this project under a very short period and since it was not possible to source the discarded train compartments and boats at such short notice, we changed the concept and came up with this design comprising plaques and sculptures and replicas of artifacts similar to the underwater museum in Cancun, Mexico. I am sure we were able to construct Sri Lanka’s first underwater museum similar to the one in Mexico,” the Navy Commander was quoted by NewsIn Asia as saying.
Some of the key aims of the museum are to promote revival of corals and fish breeding, as per reports. According to a report, fish breeding has already begun, while fisheries have been advised not to venture in this area initially.
[ALSO READ: Is virtual reality the future of travel?]
Sri Lanka has so far 1,950 cases of infection which includes 11 deaths, data from Johns Hopkins University revealed. The South Asian country’s tourism reportedly suffered a massive blow after a nationwide lockdown was introduced to stem the spread of COVID-19 in March this year.
The tourism industry accounts for 11% of the country’s economy, and with nearly two million visitors arriving to the island nation last year, Sri Lanka is planning to boost the sector with this new offering, a report said.
Related posts:
Attack on Colombo hotels, churches leaves many dead, nearly 400 injured
Princess Cruises announces temporary pause of global operations
Hong Kong airport tests disinfection booth and cleaning robots to slow COVID-19 spread
External borders of Schengen Area countries to stay shut at least until end of June
