The tourism tight rope

Thursday, 16 December 2021 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Tourism Ministry yesterday announced that it had selected nine tourist attractions across each of the nine provinces to be developed as sustainable tourist destinations. The move is said to be in line with sustainable development goals outlined in the President’s national policy framework.

Upon announcement of the move, the Tourism Minister further highlighted how the eco-tourism industry had become more attractive to tourists following the COVID pandemic, and that as such, investors have also been drawn towards the sector.

While it is a welcome sign to see the Government paying heed to sustainability in its tourism drive, it’s important that this goes further than mere lip service. The Government would do well to remind itself that, while pushing for more tourists is undoubtedly important, the more pressing concern is ensuring Sri Lanka’s tourist sites are protected and developed in a sustainable manner.

Indeed, development that aligns with community interests is surely the most holistic way forward, though the extent to which this is done is the difference between short-term gain and long-term sustainable prosperity. And it’s a path Sri Lanka has failed to successfully traverse in the past.

More than a decade since the end of the war, which heralded the tourism boom, Sri Lanka has enjoyed generous revenue increases but has failed to ensure that tourists get the care, security, facilities, fairness and transparency that would make its product competitive and one that holds up to global standards.

The post-war boom had attracted many who simply wanted to make money from tourism and were not concerned enough about the sustainability of the industry. There were also promotional campaigns that lacked sufficient transparency and didn’t always hit the mark.

Furthermore, the protection of the country’s natural resources has been woefully inadequate. While the Government must be commended on recent declarations of several forest areas in the island as national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, that is but the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Conservation work done on off-shore attractions such as shipwreck diving and the protection of Sri Lanka’s abundance of marine life – both of which are potential cash cows that are being tragically under-utilised – have sadly taken a backseat. Meanwhile a lack of awareness and education among area residents means pollution is a continuing concern. There have been reports that important areas such as Piduruthalagala may be cleared to give land to squatters – such social issues need better solutions.

If Sri Lanka is to stay true to its goal of sustainability, the Government needs to conduct much more thorough and hands-on engagement when it comes to educating the public at the grassroots level while at the same time pushing the Sri Lankan brand in a far more coordinated manner to maximise the country’s exposure abroad.

The sincere hope now is that, unlike in the past, these moves are well thought-out, with a coordinated plan put into motion to ensure that locals are educated on the importance of tourism, as well as environmental sustainability, to Sri Lanka’s economy, and that work is done simultaneously to improve security and service standards across the board.