Tourism

As Sri Lanka’s second-largest industry after textiles and garments, tourism represents an opportunity to generate revenue and create jobs. The country is fast becoming a popular destination for international travellers, as well as for expatriates returning home to visit friends and family, suggesting that Sri Lanka is in the process of moving from the margins of global tourism to becoming a primary destination in its own right. The World Travel & Tourism Council put the sector’s overall contribution at LKR1.4trn ($9.1bn), or 11.4% of GDP in 2016, with an estimated increase of 5.5% in 2017. This chapter contains an interview with Sutheash Balasubramaniam, Managing Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.