Sigiriya declared Sri Lanka’s first sustainable destination
The Morning: Sigiriya has been officially declared Sri Lanka’s first sustainable destination, following Cabinet approval and the completion of a multi-year certification process that marks a major milestone in the country’s shift toward eco-friendly tourism.
The designation follows the conclusion of the Sustainable Destination Certification initiative launched in 2023, backed by a comprehensive Destination Management Plan developed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The plan not only outlined sustainability criteria for Sigiriya, but also provided a roadmap to upgrade and protect surrounding attractions.
The Sustainable Tourism Certification programme, first introduced in Sri Lanka in 2018 with guidance from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and funding from the UNDP BioFIN Project, has steadily expanded.
In 2019, the National Sustainable Tourism Certification (NSTC) was piloted with 37 hotels earning recognition for their environmental and social standards.
Efforts to embed sustainability across the tourism sector have since accelerated. A key development is the establishment of a dedicated Sustainable Tourism Unit (STU) within the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), now led by the Deputy Director General.
The unit oversees sustainability compliance and strategy for accommodation providers and tour operators.
In partnership with Solidaridad Sri Lanka, the STU has introduced a self-assessment system that allows businesses to measure and improve their sustainability performance. This complements the “Good Travel” certification programme, which is now in its second phase with over 200 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) participating island-wide.
Global partners continue to support Sri Lanka’s transition. The GSTC-accredited Green Destinations is working alongside the SLTDA and other national bodies to align local certification systems with international benchmarks and scale up destination-level standards.
OSL take:
With Sri Lanka’s tourism industry on a steady growth path and Sigiriya being declared as the country’s first sustainable destination have both resulted in the presentation of new business/investment opportunities for foreign businesses/investors on the lookout for lucrative ventures in the region. The increasing number of foreign travelers to the country and the expansion of tourism concepts in Sri Lanka have all added to the overall growth in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. One of the key focuses of Sri Lankan authorities is to make the country a green destination. The many attractions in Sri Lanka and the recognition of the country as a must visit tourist destination have all helped boost the tourism industry and related sectors, thereby creating a host of business/investment opportunities. The interest shown by many international brands in the tourism industry and related sectors is further evident of the increasing business potential in Sri Lanka. Local businesses in the industry have also shown impressive growth and profits in the past few months, adding to the potential of the tourism industry. Given all these factors, foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore the expanding business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry and related sectors.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20250618/Z_1 |