Ayesh Indranath Ranawaka
Executive Director INORA
Colombo, Sri Lanka, 23 April 2025 – GSM News:
Sri Lanka’s marine tourism sector, long underappreciated despite its vast potential, has finally begun to receive the attention it deserves. The recent unveiling of the Marine Tourism Roadmap by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is a significant milestone. For those of us who have pioneered marine experiences like whale watching since the early 2000s—at a time when even the tourist board was unaware of its potential—this moment should have marked a celebration. Instead, it has raised serious concerns about the integrity and direction of this roadmap.
The roadmap was shaped by a steering committee, which I was initially proud to be a part of. I joined at the invitation of Mr. Priyantha Fernando, a former Sri Lanka Tourist Board chairman and a visionary leader whose efforts played a key role in bringing marine tourism to the forefront. However, I eventually withdrew from the committee, not due to any personal conflict, but because it became increasingly clear that the process lacked genuine openness. Decisions were predetermined, and input from stakeholders seemed more like a formality than a foundation for policy.
A critical flaw in the development of this roadmap is the heavy influence of a few business interests under the guise of entrepreneurship. While industry involvement is essential, the roadmap should serve as a national policy framework—not a tailored strategy to benefit individual businesses.
Marine tourism is a national asset, and its development must be guided by long-term vision, environmental responsibility, and inclusivity, not short-term commercial gains.
What is also troubling is the questionable use of financial resources in producing the roadmap. The ADB, being a bank and not a donor agency, rarely offers grants. If funds were indeed spent, they may have been misallocated, as the final output offers little innovation or value beyond compiling ideas that local experts and practitioners had long shared. In fact, I had personally offered to contribute to the roadmap with low cost, emphasizing that the real need is not a document written in polished English, but a vision that can be executed with commitment.
True success lies not in publishing strategies but in implementing them. For that, Sri Lanka needs an independent unit within the SLTDA dedicated solely to marine tourism. This unit should be staffed with individuals who understand the complexities of marine ecosystems, international marketing, and sustainable tourism practices. Marine tourism is a specialized sector and cannot be governed effectively through standard government recruitment processes. The creation of this unit should receive cabinet-level approval to ensure it has the authority and autonomy to drive the roadmap forward.
Without this dedicated unit, the roadmap risks becoming yet another shelved document. It will not be updated, nor will it evolve with changing conditions and global trends. The SLTDA in its current form is not equipped to lead this sector. This is not a criticism, but a call for structural reform—one that recognizes the uniqueness and potential of Sri Lanka’s marine offerings.
If we are truly committed to positioning Sri Lanka as a premier marine tourism destination, then we must rethink how we govern it. It is time for a serious, professional, and apolitical approach to marine tourism, driven by expertise and guided by a vision that puts the country—not personal business interests—first.
