Boosting tourism is high on the agenda these days, it is viewed as a means of getting more foreign currency, providing employment to a larger number of people across many disciplines and as a ladder towards making Sri Lanka a more prosperous and ultimately a developed country. Such rationale is definitely not flawed and there are many countries that have done it successfully.
Sri Lanka being a tropical country enjoys a good climate all year around without being subjected to 'cold and harsh winters' or 'hot and terrible summers'. Due to the geography 'upcountry' offers a seductively attractive cooler climate which many would not associate with a country so near the equator. Being an island nation the sea is all around us, offering beautiful beaches where mesmerizing waves that capture the hearts of surfers break off. Sri Lanka has very high bio diversity and is ranked amongst the top in that regard. Forests like 'Sinharaja' have been declared as world heritage sites and along with sanctuaries like ‘Yala’, ’Kumana’ exhibit the rich flora and fauna of Sri Lanka. Waterfalls like 'Diyaluma' are a sight beyond what any words could effectively describe. Surely such natural wonders makes Sri Lanka an ideal destination for tourists. Sri Lankans also have a rich culture. We are a nation which has a written history dating back almost 2500 years and archeologists have found evidence of human civilizations dating back 15000 years. Illustrious kings of the past have left their legacy in the form of giant reservoirs like 'Prakrama Samudraya' or giant stupas reaching out to the heavenly sky like 'Ruwanweli Maha Seya' which challenge even the modern engineers. Ancient cities like ‘Anuradhapura’ and ‘Pollonnaruwa’ still carry the ruins of those glorious days. 'Sigiriya' is considered the 8th wonder of the ancient world and immortalizes the engineering excellence of our forefathers. The ‘New Year festival’, ‘Kandy Dalada Perahera’ are few cultural events out of many that are still performed today highlighting the unique culture of Sri Lanka. Buddhism and indigenous medicine further reinforces the uniqueness and authenticity of our culture. Such a rich history and a vibrant culture is a magnet for tourists.
Sri Lanka can stand shoulder to shoulder with any country in terms of its natural marvels. It can hold its head high with any country with regards to the rich culture and history. Sri Lankans are known the world over for their hospitality. Thus tourism is definitely something we should invest in and expand. Nevertheless, 'Doing the right thing' and 'Doing the thing right’ might sound similar but we should contemplate that they can be totally different. Boosting tourism is definitely the right thing to do. However are we doing it the right way?
Politicians seem to be hell bent on building casinos and what not to entertain the tourists. They seem to be obsessed with Bangkok or Las Vegas. It's such a pity that for a country which is so unique in its culture, history and natural marvels we are shamelessly trying to emulate places like Bangkok. Anyone with a limited knowledge in marketing knows the value of differentiation. Sri Lanka should try to differentiate itself and market it's unique natural marvels, historical sites, rich culture and build a unique brand for itself in tourism. Egypt is visited by many a tourist due to its history and ancient civilizations. People visit African countries to get a glimpse of the wild life. Tourists visit Bahamas to experience the sandy beaches. Many visit Japan or other Asian countries to experience a different way of living, a different set of beliefs, and a different take on spirituality. Sri Lanka has the potential and the natural resources to fulfill the needs of any tourist visiting any of those countries. We have the capability to attract tourists visiting those countries into Sri Lanka. Thus Sri Lanka can be a one stop destination to experience a wide range of tourist activities from adrenalin pumping surfing to mind soothing meditation. But our politicians seem to be more focused in setting up casinos and following the footsteps of Bangkok. Bangkok or for that matter LasVegas’s resume in terms of natural marvels, wild life, ancient civilizations or unique culture is not that great. That was the primary reason why they invested in casinos and what not to attract tourists. But we are blind to this fact and are trying to promote tourism by way of investing in casinos. This is utter nonsense.
In manufacturing, a product is made and then sold. The consumer might be on the other side of the world. But tourism is different. In tourism you are inviting people of various races, religions, beliefs in to your country. Who will accept the invitation will depend on what is being marketed. If one markets the wrong things then one would be attracting the wrong kind of people in to your country. This would inevitably have disastrous repercussions. It is said prevention is better than cure. Thus rather than allowing bad things to enter the country and then attempting to build a complex framework to keep those things under control, it is far better not to allow such things to enter in the first place. Therefore it is of utmost importance that in promoting tourism we promote the right things to the world, only then would we be able to attract the right things in to our country. Some might argue that we should break away from the so called 'island mindset' and be open to the new world demands and not be frogs trapped inside a well. It is true that one must think out of the box and be novel in doing something but that is different from breaking the core values or the identity of the nation.
We should delve into the possibility of making Sri Lanka a first choice destination for foreigners who seek medical services. Singapore is a prime example where millions of people visit it annually just to obtain medical services. We have talented doctors, surgeons and a good health system both private and public. A decade ago, to undergo heart surgery Sri Lankans had to visit India since such critical operations could not be performed locally. But today local doctors are performing such and more complex surgeries every day in our own hospitals. Thus thought should be given to how we can market our medical system so we can attract foreigners from at least other South Asian countries into Sri Lanka. One could combine the local air lines, hotels and local hospitals to offer foreign patients exclusive packages where from the moment they set foot on our soil we take care of them until they leave as fully recovered individuals.
Today a lot of westerners are interested on alternative medicines and exploring the spirituality of life. Buddhism is forever enshrined in our culture. Also we have an indigenous medical system dating back thousands of years. The world should be made aware of these and more importantly means and methods should be put in place so that they are easily accessible to the outside world. For example if a foreign individual is interested in visiting Sri Lanka to learn Buddhism or to learn indigenous ways of doing medicine, is there a easy way to do it right now ? The answer is 'No'. This is where the politicians or the relevant officials can play a vital role. They could act as mediators between the local temples, air lines etc so that interested foreigners could easily visit Sri Lanka and get in touch with a local temple and seek what they want to know. Not only Buddhism but our local universities could also offer courses, postgraduate degree programs to foreign individuals.
Making use of our medical system or Buddhism to attract tourists are just an example to show that apart from the traditional tourist attractions we do have a lot of other stuff which we could market in order to boost tourism. Fields like Sports, Education, and Traditional art forms.... the list could go on and on. Rather than trying to put up casino's everywhere politicians and officials should look at these options and come up with a strategy to boost tourism. That strategy should capitalize on what makes Sri Lanka unique and there by market Sri Lanka as an unparallel destination for tourists.
So tourism... Yes but please don't make a second Bangkok out of mother Sri Lanka!!!
