The government has launched a Rs. 173 million tourism infrastructure development project at the iconic Arugam Bay Sunset View precinct in Ampara District, marking the most significant capital investment in the world-renowned surf destination's public infrastructure in recent years and signalling a concerted push to elevate the Eastern Province's premier coastal tourism asset. The project encompasses the construction of a well-designed internal road network to improve access and circulation within the Sunset View area, the development of a landscaped public leisure zone providing shaded rest areas and scenic viewpoints overlooking the bay, and the addition of a swimming pool complex with associated changing facilities — amenities that will distinguish Arugam Bay from competing regional beach destinations. Public sanitation facilities, lighting, and coastal promenade enhancements form the supporting infrastructure layer of the project, addressing long-standing gaps that tourism operators and visitors have identified as limiting factors in Arugam Bay's ability to handle its growing annual influx of international surfers and leisure travellers. The project was discussed at a high-level tourism policy meeting chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Vijitha Herath at the Ampara District Secretariat in early August 2026, where a new mechanism was announced committing to direct tourism development fund allocations to districts via the Ministry of Finance from 2027 — giving district-level planners more direct control over tourism investment decisions. A newly established district tourism subcommittee, chaired by the District Secretary and meeting bimonthly, will oversee the Arugam Bay project and other tourism development initiatives across Ampara, ensuring coordinated planning between government agencies, local tourism operators, and community stakeholders.