Risk & Crisis Management in Tourism Sector:
Recovery from Crisis
in the OIC Member Countries
128
eight different sectoral associations, ranging from larger hotels to beach vendors (Calgaro and
Cochrane, 2009).
The diversity of organisations was an indication of administrative and policy fragmentation, and it
was admitted that there was a ‘blurring of focus’ (SLTB, 2007a). There was awareness that
coordination was necessary, but uncertainty over the best vehicles to take collaborative energies
forward. In a strong market such fractures would be little noticed, but in the continuing crisis
situation the impression was of an industry turning in on itself and lacking the strategic vision
which would give a framework for progress.
In 2009 the civil war ended with the defeat of the Tamil separatists. This created the opportunity
for re-uniting the country and developing infrastructure such as an improved road and railway
network, and for investment in tourism facilities by both domestic and international investors. The
effect of the ending of the conflict is clearly demonstrated by the quadrupling of international
arrivals in just 6 years, from 448,000 in 2009 to 1,798,000 in 2015 (Figure 5.2).
Figure 5.2: International Tourism Arrivals to Sri Lanka, 1995-2016
Sources: Tourism growth trends, 1970-2016; SLTDA statistics and annual reports; UNWTO
Since the end of the conflict and improvement of connections with the East Coast, there are more
opportunities for both domestic and international visitors to travel to this area, much of which was
off-limits during the war (Mann and Goel, 2014).
5.4.2. Post Conflict Response: Recovery from Crises in Sri Lanka Tourism
Shortly after the 2004 tsunami the government took several actions as a response to the disaster.
It introduced The DisasterManagement Act, the National Council for DisasterManagement, and the
Reconstruction and Development Agency. It also replaced several existing ministries by three new
ones to deal with the crises, namely: the Ministry of Resettlement, the Ministry of Nation-Building
and Estate Infrastructure Development, and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human
Rights.
0
500000
1000000
1500000
2000000
2500000
1995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016
International Tourism Arrivals to Sri Lanka 1995-2016
Year Arrivals