Sri Lanka's tourism promotion authority says arrivals will rise 40 percent to 850,000 in 2011 on top of forecast 35 percent growth this year but warns weak industry infrastructure and a shortage in trained staff could slow the pace of growth.

"Its not the number that is the challenge. The challenge is to make sure there is infrastructure support," says the chairman of the islands tourism promotion office Nalaka Godahewa.

This year the industry is expecting 600,000 arrivals, up from 447,000 last year. Sri Lanka's tourism authority is projecting 2.5 million tourists by 2016.

Godahewa says enough hotel rooms, transportation, service standards and trained people are the main challenges to meet the demand .

Arrivals are up 48 percent in the six months to June to 278,000. It would be an all time record if as forecast by the tourism development office, which functions under the Economic Development Ministry, 600,000 tourists visit the island this year.

Occupancy in hotels is now reaching 80 percent in Sri Lanka. The country already has 14,500 hotel rooms rated by star category by the state tourism authority. The hotels are expected to be able to accommodate about 750,000 tourists.

Sri Lanka's hoteliers say 10 billion US dollars have to be invested to more than double the country's hotels rooms to 35,000 by 2016.

Lakshaman Yapa Abeywardema the Deputy Minister of Economic Development says there are many jobs for young people due to fast expansion.

Malin Hapugoda, Managing Director of Aitken Spence, which is the largest hotel operator in the island said the human resource problem will grow as more hotels and hotel rooms are built in next few years.

"By 2013 or 2014 we will face a human resource problem which may affect industry growth".

Direct employment by the tourism industry last year was 52,071.

"We believe within the next 4 to 5 years upto 400,000 people will join this industry," claimed Godahewa.

Sri Lanka's tourism promotion office is also promoting a series events associated with travel, culture and entertainment.

"Now its time to create activities for people to come out and enjoy," said Godahewa during the launch of the 'World Spice Festival' a three week long food promotion taking place at top city hotels and a weekend event offering alfresco dining on a section of Colombo's Green Path.

The street side food festival was an overwhelming success in entertainment starved Colombo and attracted thousands of people swamping two dozen food stalls operated by hotels and some of Colombo's top restaurants.

"We are looking at the possibility of continuing this once every week. That's a long term plan," Godahewa said.