Can Sri Lanka tourism recover from ‘triple whammy’ of terrorism, Covid-19 and economic crisis?

The Easter Sunday bombings and the pandemic lashed the sector from 2019-2021. Now, unrest arising from economic duress has further hurt tourism

Hotels are facing mass cancellations, smaller operators like homestays have seen ‘almost a 100 per cent loss in income’, and workers are shunning an industry increasingly seen as ‘volatile’

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Tourists walk along a beach in eastern Sri Lanka. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:00am, 15 Jun 2022Updated: 1:48am, 16 Jun 2022

When G. N. Niroshini opened her homestay accommodation six years ago in the village of Panama on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast, she earned a steady income of about 100,000 Sri Lankan rupees a month (US$277), more than what an average office worker makes.

Business was “so successful”, she was able to quickly expand and build a second room for tourists keen to enjoy the range of attractions near the area, from wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and the popular surfing destination of Arugam Bay.

But a series of back-to-back crises over the last few years, including the coronavirus pandemic, have all but wrecked tourism in Sri Lanka, which is currently facing economic collapse.

“Now I only get one or two guests each month,” says Niroshini, whose carpenter husband has also lost some work, making her household’s income loss more painful.

Niroshini is a member of the Panama Community Based Tourism Society, a group offering experiences including homestays, village lunches, cooking lessons, safaris and wild camping for tourists arriving in Arugam Bay.