Healthy and thriving oceans are essential to the survival of all life on Earth. While we live on land, we tend to forget that oceans make up over 70% of our planet’s surface. Vulnerable tropical islands should prioritise the revival of their ocean ecosystems to remain competitive and relevant in global trade and tourism.
Sri Lanka’s coastal regions generate the island’s highest share of tourism revenues, while supporting the livelihoods of fishing communities and ensuring food security for millions. A lack of awareness and appreciation of the wider economy’s interdependence on key ecosystems, has led to misguided and poorly regulated economic development that continues to threaten and degrade Sri Lanka’s coastal and ocean environments. In commemoration of World Tourism Day 2022 - Rethink Tourism, Sri Lanka’s tourism sector must recognise the significance of its role in restoring health and prosperity to the island's diverse ecosystems. These ecosystems are the lifeline of Sri Lanka's economy.
Post-war tourism development in Sri Lanka has come at the expense of the island’s natural beauty- the very product around which tourism has evolved. Investors, developers and operators have an inherent responsibility to safeguard and regenerate Sri Lanka’s ocean ecosystems, whilst facilitating high-value and higher-quality tourism to the island. Ocean-based tourism activities must transform from being extractive to regenerative.
Overfishing, coral mining, and climate change have led to the loss of 90% of Sri Lanka’s coral reefs. Coral reefs play a vital role in protecting coastal communities during storms and floods. Despite existing legislation that protects Sri Lanka’s remaining coral reefs (10% of the original extent of reefs), the tourism sector should actively promote high-quality, impact-oriented, experiences that allow travellers to collaborate with local communities on coral reef regeneration. The objective is to ensure biodiversity flourishes with a long-term view, in turn ensuring long-term economic prosperity. A Four Seasons resort in Costa Rica launched a program for guests and residents to participate in reef restoration through coral planting initiatives and educational snorkelling sessions. These initiatives have proved popular among guests and serve as a win-win for business and the environment. Likewise, at Oesina Beach in Indonesia’s Kupang Bay, conservationists restore coral reefs to open up new avenues for nature-based tourism in an attractive, responsible and controlled manner.
Science-based conservation efforts that facilitate experiential tourism activities can increase the attractiveness, relevance and value of a destination. Nature-based tourism experiences are best designed to prepare for future climate risks while simultaneously addressing socioeconomic challenges. Sri Lanka’s tourism sector can invest in and promote science-backed, nature-based solutions, such as living shorelines. Living shorelines are a cost-effective technique that use plants, sand, or other natural elements to stabilise coastlines while reducing erosion and enhancing coastal resilience. Hospitality and tourism businesses must collaborate with marine scientists to develop inclusive initiatives, to add depth and value to nature-based experiences.
For decades, pollution including plastics, solid waste, and run-off wastewater have had detrimental impacts on marine life, human health, and tourism, yet destinations fail to address the root of these problems. Tourism operators can invest in effective educational programs that inspire conscious consumption and waste management techniques to stem the source of pollution. The Pearl Protectors, a volunteer-based organisation advocating for the protection and restoration of Sri Lanka’s marine environment, recently launched the Cleaner Seabeds for Sri Lanka expedition to conduct an underwater cleanup that will remove marine litter and ghost fishing nets in Butterfly Reef, Batticaloa. Discarded nets will be recycled and upcycled by Waste Less Arugam Bay, a recycling and environmental education center segregates plastic waste through a commercially viable model (part of the Precious Plastic global community). Dr. Terney Pradeep Kumara, Professor in Oceanography at University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, suggests that
“Sri Lanka must focus on providing early exposure to students on awareness around the use and disposal of plastics. If the tourism sector were to fund and implement long-term knowledge-based workshops to local schools around the threats of plastics to marine biodiversity, our country can work towards developing an environmentally conscious mindset with an understanding of the necessity for marine protection.”
Dr Terney continued to suggest that such educational initiatives must be designed with the perspective of making a long-lasting impact instead of a one-time marketing initiative to fulfill corporate social responsibility goals.
Tourism businesses must commit to responsible seafood sourcing practices by working with local fishing communities. Easy opportunities such as the absence of high-quality, fresh seafood eateries along Sri Lanka's Southern Coastal belt, the most heavily visited tourism region in the country, demonstrate a lack of effort being made in this regard. Sourcing local, fresh seafood will also reduce the dependency on refrigerator trucks and fuel to transport seafood from afar. To better inform their strategies, the tourism sector should engage with marine research and consultancy organisations. Blue Resources Trust is one such organisation which aims to promote science-based decision making to facilitate the sustainable use of marine resources. Spain’s Iberostar Group’s Wave of Change is an example of a model which integrates traceability and verifies sustainability claims of fisheries and seafood suppliers.
Sri Lanka’s economic prosperity depends on thriving ocean ecosystems. The tourism sector must reimagine and strengthen its relationship with this vulnerable resource by collaborating on inclusive solutions that align communities, the environment and the guest experience.
Long-term partnerships between tourism businesses and environmental organisations should create higher quality, value-added guest experiences that place ecosystem restoration at the core of experiential travel. Tourism operators must transform environmental stewardship to commercially viable models that regenerate ecosystems and local communities, while uplifting the travel experience. Sri Lanka’s tourism offering can evolve from being experiential to educational and impact-driven, whilst ensuring travellers leave the island as more inspired, conscious global citizens.
Travellers to Sri Lanka increasingly lament the poorly managed waste and visible pollution along the island’s shoreline. Others express disappointment with money-making ocean tourism ventures such as whale and dolphin watching excursions that have little regard for the marine life that fuel these industries. Such issues place Sri Lanka’s tourism industry in serious jeopardy, as travellers become more mindful and conscious of their impact. With the resurgence of tourism to Sri Lanka and increasing demand for regenerative travel experiences, Sri Lanka faces a great opportunity to strengthen the ties between local conservation science, environmental programs and its tourism experience and offering.
