Risk & Crisis Management in Tourism Sector:
Recovery from Crisis
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 Sri Lanka enjoys a strategic location in the Indian Ocean on the major air and sea routes
between West and East. This important location is an advantage to the country’s
positioning as a global logistics hub as well as tourism destination.
5.4.4. Weaknesses and Threats to Sri Lanka Tourism
Although the tourism industry has been successful since the end of the conflict in 2009, there
are a number of weaknesses in the industry which can be summarized as follows:
 Sri Lanka lost a good number of its trained staff in tourism industry during the conflict
period, mainly for better salaries offered in the Maldives, India and the Middle East, and
during the current rapid expansion of the industry there is a shortage of qualified labour.
To overcome the shortage, the tourism authorities are opening training centers in the
principal towns and encouraging the private sector to have vocational training courses
to overcome the shortage.
 Some of the very large tourism development projects may have social and
environmental impacts at the time of their construction, and consequential impacts in
the years after.
 The informal sector should not be marginalized but developed as it provides work and
entrepreneurial opportunities, benefits the local community, and contributes to the
diversification of the economy.
 Social and political problems related to the past conflict may revive if a long-lasting
social solution built on equality between various sectors of society is not found. To
address this, there should be more community involvement in tourism and solutions to
local economic, social and environmental issues related to their tourism-affected areas.
5.4.5. Conclusion
It is apparent that the 2004 tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka acted as the shock event in the Sri Lanka
tourismsystemwhich triggered several changes in tourismpolicy (Cochrane, 2009). These changes
showed their positive results five years later when the country’s conflict was over, since when the
sector has enjoyed a rapid recovery. The government and other stakeholders have succeeded in
marketing the country as a peaceful destination, hence attracting larger number of International
tourists to double the number of international arrivals in less than three years.
Having said that, the social and economic impacts of the conflict will still be felt for some years to
come, including the disparity in socio-economic welfare between the areas formerly held by the
rebels, in the North-east of the country, and thewealthier southern parts. The state is the key player
in social healing as well as economic development, and recognises that the tourism sector can play
a vital role in promoting peace and harmony, increasing socio-economic inclusion, addressing
reconciliation, generating employment, and accelerating economic growth in order to uplift the
living standards of all Sri Lankans (Welgamage, 2015).