(Centers of excellence in sustainable tourism to boost economic development and enhance university-business cooperation in Southern Asia)

Department of Tourism Studies of Uva Wellassa University has won 71,839 EURO worth Erasmus + grant on CESTour project for the Sustainable Tourism Development in the country and the contract was signed by the Prof. J.L. Ratnasekera, the Vice Chancellor of Uva Wellassa University on April 9, 2021 at the university premises with the participation of Secretary to the Ministry of Sport, youth Affairs, Tourism, Transport, Cultural Affairs, Textile and Small Industries of Uva Province, Dean of Faculty of Management, Registrar, Bursar, Senior Assistant Librarian, Lecturers of Faculty of Management Studies, Prof. J.P.R.C.Ranasinghe- Head of the Department of Tourism Studies, and other Lecturers of the Department of Tourism Studies. 

The CESTour project intents to build the concept of sustainable tourism on a regional and national level in Nepal, Sri Lanka and India. In connection with tourism, sustainable tourism can be well added and this combination can lead to a higher perception about the importance of preserving heritage, environment, and people among society and the most important stakeholders in order to generate massive national/regional development from the source of sustainable tourism, throughapproaches of sustainability within three years period. Partners of this program represent Italy, Austria, Spain, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.