Sri Lanka is advancing efforts to develop sustainable tourist destinations.
Tourist destinations generally focus on attracting visitors and generating revenue, often prioritising short-term economic gains. In contrast, sustainable destinations emphasise a more holistic approach that includes environmental conservation, cultural preservation, and community well-being.
Sustainable tourism aims to minimise negative impacts, involve local communities, and ensure the long-term health and sustainability of the destination for future generations. Responsible tourism practices in sustainable destinations balance economic benefits with environmental and social well-being.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Deputy Director General and Sustainable Tourism Unit Head Upali Ratnayake discussed sustainable development initiatives implemented in the country.
Following are excerpts:
What is the overview of sustainable tourism in Sri Lanka?
As a responsible country committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and as a signatory to the Paris Agreement on climate change, Sri Lanka is legally bound to implement climate adaptation measures, particularly in the tourism industry.
Tourism is an industry that consumes significantly more resources than the general public due to the high calibre of consumption associated with tourists. When tourism aims to offer luxury and high-quality experiences, the resource demand escalates.
For example, energy use by tourists is about twice that of an average person, while water consumption can be three times higher. To maintain this level of quality, a significant resource base is required, spanning accommodation, transportation, and other services, all of which are closely linked to the quality provided. Consequently, the impact on resources is substantial when consumption is high.
In Sri Lanka, tourism ranks among the top three sources of foreign currency earnings and is a crucial industry for the economy, benefiting both direct and indirect stakeholders in the country. To ensure its sustainability and continuity without disruptions, minimising resource utilisation is essential.
Therefore, a sustainability management mechanism has been introduced. This initiative involves four main steps, which are implementing a sustainability management system, enhancing socioeconomic benefits while minimising negative impacts, managing cultural and heritage impacts, and establishing an environmental management system to ensure resources are properly managed and conserved, promoting responsible travel.
Given that approximately 95% of tourism in Sri Lanka is managed by the private sector, integrating sustainable practices across these services is best achieved by recognising and rewarding businesses for their efforts. The criteria for such recognition are set by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), which is globally accepted, including by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
A proposed system to provide sustainability certification serves as both an endorsement of sustainable practices and a marketing tool, allowing businesses to communicate their sustainability to customers.
There is a significant market trend, especially in developed countries, where tourists increasingly prioritise responsible travel, which is visiting destinations in ways that minimise environmental harm and enhance community benefits. The sustainability certification is part of a strategic plan for tourism, which is aligned with the recent tourism policy that emphasises achieving sustainable development goals and promoting responsible tourism.
How does the SLTDA, particularly the Sustainable Tourism Unit, work towards achieving these goals?
The SLTDA is responsible for raising awareness, involving stakeholders, and motivating them to undertake this certification process. The authority has collaborated with organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under its Biodiversity Finance Initiative to implement the sustainability certification, aiming for both biodiversity conservation and recognition of sustainable tourism practices.
Currently, the focus is on Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) sector service providers that often cannot comply with as many criteria as larger organisations. For this, the SLTDA partnered with Green Destinations, a globally recognised certifying organisation, to provide the Good Travel Seal certification for SMEs.
The UNWTO agreed to subsidise the certification fees for the first 200 SMEs, reducing the cost from € 300 to € 240. The certification body is accredited by the GSTC, the primary certifying authority for sustainable tourism standards.
With assistance from the UNDP, US Agency for International Development (USAID), and Asian Development Bank (ADB), we have established a Sustainable Tourism Unit to manage different projects.
The first initiative is the sustainability certification for Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, which involves certifying private sector businesses. The second initiative is to certify sustainable destinations where the local economy is heavily dependent on tourism.
The first identified destination is Sigiriya, which is currently in the final stage of certification. This process, which began in 2023, takes nearly two years. For the first destination, the UNDP agreed to cover the certification fee. Once completed, Sri Lanka will be able to declare Sigiriya as a certified sustainable destination.
The Government has already made a Cabinet decision to develop Sigiriya following international criteria and a steering committee has been established, co-chaired by the Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, the Secretary to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, and other stakeholders, to ensure the continuation of the sustainable destination plan.
The ADB will support the establishment of a sustainable management organisation to maintain the destination’s criteria in the future. There is a substantial number of criteria to meet for a destination to achieve certification, with 42 main criteria and 169 sub-targets to be fulfilled over two years.
Are there any other sustainable tourist destinations planned in addition to Sigiriya?
Looking ahead, the SLTDA is working closely with all Provincial Councils, each of which has its own tourism units. In 2022, the SLTDA suggested that each province propose at least two destinations for development. From these proposals, nine provincial destinations have been selected for future development.
For example, the Northern Province proposed Delft Island; the Eastern Province, the village of Panama; the North Western Province, an area associated with the Wilpattu entrance; the Central Province, Riverston; the Sabaragamuwa Province, Pinnawala; the Southern Province, Madunagala Hot Springs; the Western Province, Seethawaka; and the Uva Province, Haputale.
Altogether, eight destinations in addition to Sigiriya are set to be developed as part of the next phase.
What are the other sustainable global standards that the country should comply with?
When it comes to tourism, any proposals we put forward must align with global standards. However, we aim to reduce reliance on international organisations for certification, which can lead to financial outflows. Our objective is to conduct these assessments locally. Green Destinations is helping us develop resources that align with global criteria but can be implemented locally.
We are also introducing a National Sustainable Tourism Certification Scheme, a local certification developed in collaboration with these global organisations. This scheme allows service providers to first achieve national certification and gradually advance to international levels.
Additionally, we have launched a digital platform for self-assessment, enabling local service providers to identify their sustainability status. If the assessment indicates they meet sustainability standards, they can then proceed to obtain national and eventually international certification.
Is there a projection of how revenue can increase due to sustainable tourism practices?
Tourism income is closely linked to the number of arrivals and the duration of tourists’ stays. Currently, there is no mechanism to segregate total income derived from sustainable tourism.
However, our overall target is to again achieve 2.3 million tourists, which is the highest number recorded in the country in 2018. We have already reached nearly 1.2 million. If we maintain this trend, we should be able to meet our target. Regarding sustainability, we encourage local supply chains to minimise economic leakage.
What challenges do you encounter when promoting sustainable tourism?
There are numerous challenges to promoting sustainable tourism. Although policies exist and we are working towards implementing them, direct financial allocations from the Government and even our organisation are quite limited. Some of the expenses are covered through international funding organisations. Another challenge is the human resources aspect.
While sustainability is a frequent topic of discussion, its importance is not sufficiently recognised within the Government sector. For example, there is no comprehensive plan or strong commitment to transition from thermal power to renewable energy, which is a critical part of this sustainability effort.
We need to explore options like independent solar energy production and the use of electric vehicles, but essential infrastructure, such as charging stations, has not been prioritised by the Government and there is no supporting policy in place. These gaps hinder our ability to achieve the level of sustainability we aspire to.
Water management is another area with significant challenges, as there is considerable water wastage. For instance, the 12 islands in Kalpitiya, which are to be developed as tourism resorts, cannot rely on traditional power or water supply from the mainland, yet there is little Government support for solar power initiatives.
In a competitive environment, such lack of support may discourage potential investors. Reforestation and land use planning are also critical but are currently underdeveloped.
What is the future of sustainable tourism in Sri Lanka?
The future of sustainable tourism appears promising, both in terms of income and arrivals. According to 2019 statistics, the UNWTO reported that spending by sustainability-focused travellers worldwide reached $ 1 trillion, with an expected growth rate of 23% until 2032, indicating the direction of tourism trends.
The European Union has recently mandated that all its consumption complies with sustainability practices. Similarly, European travellers are increasingly seeking responsible travel options, making Europe a key market for Sri Lanka.
It is essential that we prepare to capture and retain this market by keeping pace with these trends. Additionally, public awareness and responsibility are crucial in supporting this shift towards sustainable tourism.