Tourism used to be one of the fastest-growing economic sectors in the world before the COVID-19 pandemic. With the lessons learned and precautions taken tourism is again becoming a key driver in global socio-economic progress. Sri Lanka to its pride was known by tourists as the Granary of the East and Pearl of the Indian Ocean; the island was eager to present itself to the world as the wonder of Asia, then the miracle of Asia
Ironically, some say that Sri Lanka has become a miracle of Asia with its recent downfall. Many talk of tourism as the most attractive service product that would earn foreign currency in a short period without much effort, as we are blessed with natural beauty surrounded by sandy sunny beaches in the best geographical location in the region.
The tourism industry and many sectors related to it from transport, entertainment, education, health, telecommunication and finance to agriculture and construction etc mutually contribute and nourish each other. Sri Lanka after COVID-19 and subsequent economic calamities shows a steep decline in foreign tourist arrivals, the year 2021 being the worst. Tourism has once again come on the top of discourses on regaining Sri Lanka. There are many experts, advisors, travel blogs, and political views on attracting tourists to save Sri Lanka. ‘Safe Sri Lanka’, ‘beautiful Sri Lanka’, ‘Smiling Sri Lanka’ and ‘Sri Lanka Can’ are some slogans used in tourism promotion. Promoting nightlife in main cities to keep foreigners engaged is one among many views that receive both criticism and praise. Sometimes, we focus on Western tourists, and other times promote middle-income earners from Asian countries as our key visitors. We do not have a clear vision or an integrated approach of all sectors or a strategic path in developing the tourism industry. Is it the nature, shopping experience, clubbing or ancient wonders in our kingdoms that we promote?
The world is becoming more concerned about travelling to natural areas with attractive bio-diversities. Though, wilderness and natural areas are in marked decline, both in terms of quality and quantity, the demand for visiting these areas is increasing. Travellers from developed western countries are often attracted by the quieter, less frenzied vacation destinations; they love to engage in unique recreational and cultural activities. Published data from surveys, research etc reveal that Westerners prefer to choose Asian countries as their international tourist destinations. Well-being and mental relaxation are valued by the Western visitor ever before any other day. Attracting tourists from the West is more beneficial as they explore more and spend more. Night bazaars, movie theatres, and other leisure events and places opened at night would retain the foreigners in the main cities and provide more income. Youngsters would be encouraged to come for their holidays here. At the same time it is critical that we assess what we already have to offer and improve them.
Being a South Asian country endowed with abundant natural beauty, blessed with world heritage sites, religious monuments, and culture drawn back to many thousand years with established Hinduism and Buddhism, body and mind healing indigenous medicine, this island has a bountiful to offer. Sri Lanka is one of the 34 biodiversity hotspots identified in the globe and has the highest biodiversity per unit of land amongst Asian countries with an array of ecosystems ranging from tropical rain forests to arid thorn shrubs, marine and mountain ranges, in addition to the breathtaking views to offer a unique experience to tourists. As per the Sri Lanka Tourism Investment Guide Book, the geographical variation results in many ecological systems, and natural habitats of many animal and plant species. The island can become a research field for scientists. It was not very long ago that the National Geographic channel ranked Sri Lanka as the 2nd best island destination on earth for tourists, referring to beaches, wildlife, historical places, world heritage sites, primary forests, waterfalls, rivers for rafting and undisputedly everything one wants to experience within a small space.
Sri Lanka’s biodiversity, climate, beautiful sceneries, and tranquillising areas can attract more visitors if we continuously care about the quality of experience they get. I happened to travel around the North and East provinces recently for a period longer than a week and witnessed just a few foreigners, and that was in Jaffna only. Of course, the negative image painted in the West starting with the civil revolt and the fuel crisis that made the news on international media might have significantly demoralised foreigners in choosing the pearl of the Indian Ocean to get away from their routine life. The Tourism Promotion Bureau is working hard, and several independent bodies and persons are trying tooth and nail to attract foreign tourists. For me, attraction through promotion and branding is necessary but not sufficient. Inspiring them to visit again and again and to recommend their peers to visit Sri Lanka is a must for sustainable tourism for a country. It is the quality of basic amenities available in a country that promotes tourists to experience and explore unique attractions.
Throughout my tour, I was questioning myself whether we are properly utilising what we have to attract and retain tourists. It is the feeling of ‘awe’ and ‘comfort’ that would make humans loyal to something, be it romance with another being or romance with a country. The mesmerising views in the North and East; the ocean, tiny islands surrounding the Jaffna peninsula, and Hindu temples with a long history, make a visitor awestruck. We deceive ourselves that the famous ice cream in Jaffna or boat rides in the ocean would give an ‘aha’ feeling to those who experience it. But, we often forget the importance of cleanliness, physical appearance, efficiency and decency associated with these products. Instead of ‘aha’ we sometimes get disappointed with an ‘ayyo’. The limited number of restaurants and hotels is not enough to satiate the hunger for a different cultural experience. I was in search of food unique to the Jaffna peninsula but was frustrated as I could not find much variety. In India, when you travel to different provinces you are given the taste of eateries and draperies unique to that province, and you tend to spend every penny to gather memories and mementoes. Even very dull structures are made hotspots for tourists by adding glamour through music and dancing.
In Delhi, there are shopping bazaars where you can spend hours and get something you like. In Jaffna, I could not find a quality dress after hours of search. The residents say they buy such stuff from Colombo. Is that what we want? We have to develop our tourism industry in such a way wherever a tourist travels, enables them to spend a reasonable sum of money. Our expectation is not just to show the country to tourists by earning through airfare and taxi fare, but earn income by selling our products.
Are we conscious of these? Not much as I see. Maybe we are too lethargic to be appealing. We think minimalism is enough. We believe that minimum varieties of food and minimum facilities are sufficient to please the customer. We can promote North and East, with their uniqueness in the rich culture, historical monuments and spacious land and ocean. Mere promotion is not enough; regular performance reviewing is vital to see whether the promoted activity is on action in expected quality. The government has a vital role in ensuring quality in all aspects of the tourist experience. Talking again on the North and the East, clean toilet facilities are a nightmare. I was travelling miles and hours searching for a washroom. Being a local when I face such issues, what could we think of for a tourist?
This paradise island, where you can breathe fresh air, drink natural water, and take memories back home with beautiful photographs cannot be compared to any other destination for tourists. We have to tap our sweet spots; it is not that long praised Sri Lankan smile that draws the tourists. We must stop flattering ourselves with those false praises. It is the beauty of nature and rich heritage that attracts foreigners here as tourists. It is the smile of the tourists that would promote this island as a tourist destination. If these sites and paths to the sites are littered with plastics, polythene and animal and human wastes, basic sanitation becomes a rare luxury, and searching for quality food with good taste and hygiene happens to be one of the key activities, the attraction to the destination would fade away and so would the tourists.
