Thoughts on tourism

Sri Lanka has been identified as a premier location for tourism by several foreign media reports. In fact, the New York Times found it as the best place to visit in 2010. This is a huge peace dividend or a direct consequence of the end of the three decade old fratricidal war and the defeat of terrorism.

The Tourism Ministry also has acknowledged increased tourist arrivals. It is said it expects over 500,000 tourists in 2010. This, of course, is a meager amount going by international standards. Our close neighbour Maldives with only the sun and the sea as resources receives more than a million tourists a year.

Though the industry started in the 1970s Sri Lanka is yet to formulate a comprehensive national policy on tourism development. Neither does it have a consistent strategy, which has kept changing not only with changes of Government but also with changes of Ministers. The constant change of Ministers and officials at the top hinders both formulation and implementation of both policy and strategy.

At the beginning Sri Lanka offered and marketed only the sun and the beaches to attract tourists. This was not changed for a long time. Still it predominates.

Unlike many other countries Sri Lanka has a variety of resources that could attract tourists. Just like India it could attract tourists interested in our rich culture or our religious pageants and other activities. In other words, the opportunities for historical, cultural and religious tourism are many. India has developed to its advantage religious tourism. Though most Sri Lankans visit religious sites in India, the visits by Indians and other South Asian nationals to our religious sites are relatively minimal.

Nor have we fully utilized our capacity to attract eco-tourists for Sri Lanka is one of the richest bio-diversity spots in the world. There is also the possibility to attract health tourists who could utilize both our Ayurvedic facilities as well as state-of-art surgical facilities at our State and private hospitals. India, for example, is attracting many tourists from the Western countries as health tourists.

What is necessary is a holistic approach to tourism development. The Tourism Ministry should cooperate with other relevant ministries in drawing up a strategy for developing the industry. The lack of understanding of the culture and traditions of the country was visible in many plans for tourism promotion. The best example is the 'Small Miracle' fiasco. We are yet to develop a proper theme to express our own Sri Lankan identity in tourist promotion.

The development of tourist infrastructure is also haphazard and in certain areas.

It is at the whims and fancies of private entrepreneurs who have the least interest in preserving the ecology or the architectural values of the sites. It is not incorrect to infer that many tourist complexes have been responsible for coastal pollution. There is a dire need of a proper regulatory authority to prevent such abuses of the environment.

Another aspect that is receiving step-motherly treatment is the development of local tourism. The Provincial Councils and the local government authorities should collaborate with Sri Lanka Tourism in drawing out a comprehensive plan to upgrade facilities at identified tourist hot spots and proper management of such places.

Since the end of the war there is a huge influx of local tourists to the North and East. Actually these areas lack even the basic facilities such as shelter and dining to accommodate them. There is a need for low-cost but clean and healthy accommodation and dining facilities for the local tourists. The old rest houses maintained by the Local Government bodies or the Tourist Board are not functioning any more or are in a dilapidated condition. It is necessary to update them or put up new facilities to facilitate people to people contact between various provinces in the country. It would provide a decent living to the local population as well as a means of income to the Government. The private sector too should be encouraged to provide similar facilities.