Sri Lanka, “The Hidden Gem“
Millan Dhillon
Image: Exoticca (https://www.exoticca.co.uk/asia/indian-subcontinent/sri-lanka)
(AP, Reuters, Guardian)- Almost 10 years after the end of its civil war, Sri Lanka has been named the best country in the world to visit in 2019. Its also emerging as the fastest growing ‘MICE’ tourism market. Better transport links, new hotels and a growing number of activities were cited as the reasons the South-Asian island was chosen for the top spot in the guidebook publisher ’s annual Best in Travel awards.
What comes first to your mind when you hear about Sri Lanka?
I’m pretty sure that most of you don’t really know about its vast development in tourism!
When focusing the evolution of tourism industry in the country, there had been a flourishing period in the past. But, due to some bad experiences such as few youth unrest situations and revolutions, 1989-1992 a huge tsunami in 2004 and severe ethnic way during 2008-2009: the performance had gone down in the near past. However, recently, it is booming and the national government and the provincial councils have implemented lots of plans to get the optimum benefits of tourism in future.Tourist visits to Sri Lanka have increased dramatically since the end of the 26-year conflict, from 447,890 in 2009 to an all time high of 2.1 million last year, a figure the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority hopes to double by 2020.
The increase of tourism occurred in 2011 and is expected to climb further in the coming years. Colombo the capital city, the Cultural Triangle (Dambulla, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura), the cities like Kandy and Galle, and most of the southern beach towns which are equipped with good tourist facilities, the roads connecting many of those destinations are improving. The pro of Sri Lanka as a tourism destination is threefold. Firstly, it is a real tourism destination. Sri Lanka is owned for a rich heritage and it has a recorded history of more than 2500 years and archaeological sites over 250,000.There are 8 world heritage sites within the country that was approved by the UNESCO and they are the hill capital kandy, the sacred city of Anuradapura, The Dutch fort of Galle, The ancient city of Polonnaruwa, The rock fortress of Sigiriya, The golden rock temple of Dambulla, the beautiful Horton plains and the Singharaja rain forest (Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, 2011). So, without a doubt a land like Sri lanka cannot be found because it has something to offer for everyone.Secondly, a tourist can travel the whole compact island within few days because it consists only 65,610 square km.Thirdly, it has unparalleled diversity of tourism product. For the ease of communicating the diversity of Sri Lanka in 2010, 8 different products namely; heritage, beaches, wildlife, mind and body wellness, scenic beauty festivals, Essence and sports and adventure are started to position around the country by the tourism authorities. (Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, 2011). Art and culture, spices, tea, gems, handy crafts and its people are the unique features of Sri Lanka which are also known as the essence of the country. From the ancient time the travelers and the traders have attracted to Sri Lanka and it is a languorous tropical island of deep spirituality and serenity. Sri Lanka grabbed the Western imagination as the Tahiti of the East. Moreover, a lot of developments have been made by the government especially in the facilities sectors. For example, renovations made to the rail system have opened up Jaffna and much of north for the first time since 1990 – an area that was previously considered too dangerous for tourists. The scenic rail routes in Sri Lanka are now widely thought to be one of the best in the world.
“Unmissable experiences” include wildlife, such as the 300-strong elephant gathering at Minneriya National Park, thousand-year old Buddhist monuments, and hiking through the Hill Country’s tea plantations.
“Its mix of religions and cultures, its timeless temples, its rich and accessible wildlife, its growing surf scene and its people who defy all odds by their welcome and friendliness after decades of civil conflict, this is a country revived,” says Lonely Planet author Ethan Gelber in the Best in Travel 2019 book.
Sources:
AP News- https://www.apnews.com/37cffcff4beb4d5881076f2269e9370c
Reuters-https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-srilanka-economy-tourism/sri-lanka-tourist arrivals-hit-new-record-high-in-2011-idUSLNE7A902H20111110
Reuters-https://www.reuters.com/article/us-srilanka-economy-tourism/sri-lanka-says-has-secured-1-2-billion-tourism-investment-idUSTRE75N51M20110624
Guardian-https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/oct/23/sri-lanka-ranked-top-country-for-travel-in-2019-by-lonely-planet
