Community based tourism in Sri Lanka gets blueprint

“Stand Together to Rekindle the Flames of Heritage and Pride of Our Communities”

The Advisory Panel on Community Based Tourism has submitted its Final Report on community based sustainable tourism development in Sri Lanka to Milinda Moragoda Minister of Tourism.

This report identifies two categories of community based tourism projects.  First category represents the projects recommended by the advisory panel for implementation.  Second category represents the projects reviewed by the panel for future consideration.

The recommendation of the proposed projects for the implementation is primarily based on the principles of community based sustainable tourism development.  In addition, availability of tourism related resources, location-based comparative advantages, marketability of the proposed service/products, time duration for implementation, life duration of the project, size of the budget and components of the budget, self financing of the project at the beginning of the project, economic and financial viability and other important criteria have been considered for this recommendation.  Multi ethnic and multi religious community representation has also been accounted.

Finally, the report passionately presents the panel’s policy recommendations for the development of community based tourism in Sri Lanka with the vision that “Stand Together for Rekindling the Flames of Heritage and Pride of Our Communities”.  In order to achieve this vision the committee recommended Introduce a national level awareness programme for all the stakeholders of community based tourism development in Sri Lanka, Establish a well coordinated administrative mechanism and organisational setting at national and local revel to implement community based tourism projects and programmes, and develop an informative database for community based tourism that should be accessible for all the stakeholders of the industry such as  important national level involvements .

This Advisory Panel on Community Based Tourism is headed by Dr. D.A.C.  Silva, Chairman of the Advisory Panel (Senior Lecturer, University of Colombo) and Mr. Palitha Gurusinghe, Coordinator of the Advisory Panel (President of Sri Lanka Eco Tourism Foundation) Executive Members are Rev. Dr. Wimalarathana, Senior Lecturer, University of Colombo, Dr. Thilak T Ranasinghe, Director, Dept. of Agriculture, Western Province, Mr. Palitha Wijemanne , General Manager, Confifi Hotel supplies, Mr. Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, CEO - Jetwing Eco Holidays, Mrs. Sepalika Sudasinghe, Consultant, SLIDA, Mr U. P.S. Pathirana, Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Mr. D.L.A.H. Shammika Lecturer,University of Ruhuna, Mr. M S M Aslem,, Senior Lecturer, Sabaragamuwa University.

Tourism has undeniable potential for pro-poor economic development in Sri Lanka. Community heritage and resources are now increasingly becoming decisive inputs for tourism development as there is an increasing demand for community based tourism services emerging among global tourists given the present focus on sustainable development. Dr. D.A.C.  Silva, Chairman of the Advisory Panel states in his introduction he mention the benefits of the growth in the tourism industry can permeate to all other sectors of the economy through its forward and particularly its backward linkages.

Following are excerpts from the committee chairman’s report:

‘’ The objectives of sustainable development may not be achieved if a fair share of such benefits are not given to community members who are directly involved in tourism development. Resources and indigenous skills belonging to these communities should not be undervalued and underutilized. Communities must be given fair and equal opportunities in the decision making process of tourism development. Community Based Tourism (CBT) fosters the opportunities at community level for local people to participate constructively in such a process. The potential of CBT to enhance the well being of community members is tremendous as long as all the stakeholders of the tourism industry stand together and work together for achieving the productive participation of community members in tourism development.

Milinda Moragoda, Minster of Tourism displayed a profound understanding of the importance of community based tourism development as an effective pro-poor strategy, in appointing this advisory panel. This timely intervention is based on his view that Sri Lanka tourism should seek the cooperation of Community Based Tourism Organizations (CBTO) operating in Sri Lanka and that the Ministry of Tourism should assist those organizations to promote Community Based Tourism activities of the country.

Our main vision then is to expose local resources and talents and make community based tourism a reality for local people. The advisory panel has looked into matters such as how best Sri Lankan tourism could get the support of the CBTOs, identification of the existing and future CBT projects and what kind of assistance should be provided to those CBT projects to enhance their contribution to community based sustainable tourism development in Sri Lanka.

Firstly the advisory panel has developed a detailed inventory of all relevant CBTOs by gathering first hand information on the existing CBTOs and their current and proposed community based tourism projects. Secondly, possible challenges that have to be faced by responsible stakeholders of community based tourism development have been identified and consequently suitable strategies to overcome these challenges have been suggested. More specifically, establishing a proper administrative and organizational set up has been recommended by considering the possible contribution of important stakeholders to community based tourism development.

It is a great honour and privilege for me to be the Chairman of this advisory panel with its interesting, challenging and creative task of taking national responsibility for advocating initiatives to improve CBT in Sri Lanka. It is my indubitable obligation to thank all the members of the advisory panel. They are professionals and academics from fields related to tourism, which were selected for this task for their invaluable expertise and knowledge accumulated through long experience in this field. Their services must truly be appreciated for it involved much time and commitment on their part, given on a voluntary basis as a contribution to the national effort for achieving community based sustainable tourism development in Sri Lanka. Without their active support and constructive dialogue and participation, the panel would not have been able to prepare such a comprehensive and insightful report.”