Sri Lanka: After the war and Tsunami

The War and Tsunami

According to a CNN report, in 2004, a Tsunami hit the day after Christmas killing 30,974 people. 4,698 people are still missing and another 100,000 families displaced.

In 2009, the 27-year-old civil war finally came to an end. 80,000 to 100,000 or more people are believed to have been killed during the conflict according to Aljazeera.

Money from Tourism can Help Repair Paradise

Sri Lanka has started to recover from these tragedies mainly due to tourism. Tourism creates jobs for the local community so more and better living conditions can be built. The impact of tourism can produce more money to build better schools so children can have a better future and can provide money for environmental protection. Tourism can help to encourage the preservation of traditions which may be at risk.

Man selling bananas Photo taken in 1993

Man repairing shoes Photo taken in 1993

I happened to attend high school at the time in Sri Lanka during one of its high peaks of the war. I personally saw tourism drastically decline. Most of the tourists fled as the hotels appeared empty. Everyday on my way to school, I saw countless shacks and people begging for money just to get something in their stomach to survive another day. Others managed to repair shoes on the side of the road or sell whatever fruit they were able to get from their farm that morning.

I returned to Sri Lanka late last year on my 20-year anniversary from being gone. I wanted to retrace my steps as a child and to complete a memoir I have been writing about my life there.

Money from tourism has saved more baby elephants from poachers. Highways are being built while other roads are being repaired. New resort hotels are being built that include the Hyatt and Shangri-La.

A baby elephant getting fed milk
Elephant Orphanage, Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, tourism is making major changes in the lives of people and it keeps improving. Sri Lanka is recovering for the better from a civil war and Tsunami because of tourism.

Why You Should Visit Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a very beautiful country with 1st century Buddhist temples, 4th century ancient cities, over 300 breathtaking waterfalls, and some of the most beautiful and remote beaches in the world.

Why not visit Sri Lanka and see why this is the island of paradise?

Dambulla Cave Temple
1st century BC

Anuradhapura
4th century BC

Baker’s Falls
Horton Plains National Park

Passekudah Beach on Sri Lanka’s east coast