Sri Lanka
Attanayake, A.; Samaranayake, H.M.S.; Ratnapala, N.
Tourism in Asia the economic impact: 241-351
1983
DOI: 10.1177/002198947701200209Document Number: 498747
The study aimed to provide policy guidelines to the Sri Lankan Government for the future development of the country's tourist industry. If the past performance of the tourist industry is taken as an indicator, there is no doubt that the potential for the further development of tourism is very high. An assessment was made of the economic impact of foreign tourism using primary data from six main surveys as well as secondary data. It was estimated that the foreign exchange earnings from tourism in 1979 were US $77.3 million and that tourism employed 1.4% of the work-force. The main sources of foreign exchange leakages are the black market and imports. The present policy of planned and regulated development of tourism should be continued in order to avoid undesirable side effects and maximize economic and other benefits.