World Tourism Day, 27th September, 2022

“Rethinking Tourism”

Dr. Palitha Gurusinghe, President, Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation and the Chairman, Asia-Pacific Regional Ecotourism Council (APREC) has been invited as the Chief Guest to deliver Key Note Presentation to celebrate the World Tourism Day on the 27th September, 2022, at the Gampaha Wickckramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine.

Mr. Charundya Balasooriya, Head - Department of Indigenous Health Sciences remarked “the event is marking a milestone in the journey of the sixteenth national university of Sri Lanka”. The event was organized by the undergraduates who follow the BSc (Hons) in Health Tourism and Hospitality Management degree of the Department of Indigenous Health Sciences, Faculty of Indigenous Health Sciences and Technology. The Tourism Day Celebration Ceremony was graced by Prof. Ranjana W. Senevirathne, Vice Chancellor of the Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine and the Chief Guest of the event - Dr. Palitha Gurusinghe, President, Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation.

The theme “Rethinking Tourism” 2022 aims to inspire the debate around rethinking tourism for development, including through education and jobs, and tourism’s impact on the planet and opportunities to grow more sustainably.

The Mission of WTD is to promote tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

World Tourism Day returns to focus on the future as the sector’s recovery gets underway and building on unprecedented political and public recognition for the sector. The UNWTO will highlight the opportunity to rethink how we do tourism. This means putting people and planet first and bringing everyone from governments and businesses to local communities together around a shared vision for a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient sector.

Enlightening the audience Dr. Gurusinghe remarked that “Sri Lanka Tourism should ‘Rethink’, ‘Revisit’ or ‘Realign’ ‘in placing Sri Lanka Tourism Product in to a ‘Right Track’ as the current situation and the developments is not ever satisfactory to the majority of the industry stake holders.

Dr. Gurusinghe further highlighted:

• Sri Lanka Tourism is being operated without a proper Tourism Development Plan at National Level. The Priority is given for the politics and politicians

• Many officials employed by the Sri Lanka Tourism from top to bottom are political appointments. Most of them are highly inefficient

• No regulations in the price structure for tourists and no proper amenities provided for tourists at the tourism sites such as Sigiriya, Dambulla, Wildlife Parks etc.

• High costs at tourism sites such as Cultural Sites, Sigiriya, Wildlife Parks, etc.,

• No sectorial coordination amongst line ministries, departments dealing in tourism (ex; how the famous tourism attraction of ‘Elephants Gathering’ at Minneirya, NP, destroyed by the officials)

• Currently, no programme or projects adapted by Sri Lanka Tourism in promoting Sustainable Tourism, Ecotourism or Community Based Tourism

• Supporting the Small and Medium Enterprising (SMEs) Tourism sector, improving the welfare of National Tourists Guide Lectures are entirely forgotten

Rethinking of Tourism Product in Sri Lanka

• COVID-19 restrictions have effectively stopped economies around the world and the global economy is expected to enter a recession in 2020-2022. Sri Lanka is no exception in this crisis. Subsequently, Sri Lanka economic situation has aggravated following the Easter Sunday Terror attack on 21 April 2019 and internal political and economic crisis. In the process of recovery, the tourism and hospitality industry in Sri Lanka will have to experience strong changes in their marketing and promotional plans in the years ahead.

• When developing Tourism Promotional Plans or any other recovery plans Sri Lanka Tourism industry should anticipate drastic changes in the thinking pattern of international tourists centered on their safety and wellbeing. This is where the tourism developers should think and concentrate on more and more on eco, nature friendly sustainable tourism projects and travel programs.

• Assessing the current situation and the years ahead and, Sri Lanka cannot expect millions of tourists to visit Sri Lanka in big groups. Future, tourists, both from Western Europe and the Asia-Pacific Region would prefer to travel in small groups similar to that of FITs (Free Individual Travellers) They will take extra care on their health, safety and wellness while travelling and accommodations and certainly would think of avoiding travelling in big coaches and visiting crowded tourism sites.

• When it comes to accommodation they would prefer to stay in locally owned eco-friendly villas, ecolodges, nature cabanas, camping accommodations etc.

• The visiting tourists would give preference to activities such as nature, wildlife, bird watching, spiritual Tourism such as yoga, meditation, learning of Buddhism, Hinduism etc. and practicing of indigenous Ayurveda systems based on ‘Weda Gedara Concept’, traditional Sri Lanka culture and their way of life, agro tourism etc.

• When it comes for food they would much prefer to have local cuisine and traditional organic foods. These tourists are belongs to the category of ‘Responsible Tourists’ or ‘Ecotourists’ who are respecting the nature, culture, biodiversity and assuring of community benefits when visiting at their travel destinations. High spending, nature loving, responsible tourists are undoubtedly attractive options for governments looking for ways of earning scarce foreign exchange through tourism.

The full Presentation by Dr. Palitha Gurusinghe, President, Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation could be downloaded through: Web link: World Tourism Day Presentation - Ayuveda University - Google Drive