The potentials and constraints of tourism in Jaffna district: a study based on post-war scenario

Abstract

Tourism is one of the world's largest industries and one of the emergent sectors that helps to generate income and employment for local people. In 2012, there had been world widely over 983 million international tourist arrivals (UNWTO, 2012). The Sri Lanka was stepped in a mile stone amount of 1 Billion arrivals in 2012. Jaffna district is known as a significant district in the nation since colonial period. Prior to the 83 's, the war was collapsed the entire sectors including the tourism sector in the peninsula. Prior to the end of the civil war in 2009, numerous visitors visit to the peninsula. The primary aim of this study is to find out the ways to develop the tourism sector of Jaffna district in a sustainable manner. This prime objective was attained parallel with the following sub objectives such as finding out the tourism potentials and barriers of tourism in Jafma district and determining specific recommendations to enhance the tourism in a sustainable manner. In this study, both qualitative and quantitative and mainly two types of data were used in mis research study such as secondary data and primary data but Primary data sources were mostly used. There are several potentials in the peninsula to admire tourists even though tourism sector is facing several constraints such as lack of proper planning and development, deficiency in capital accumulation, shortage of infrastructures and issues relates with other service sectors. Overcoming process with those defects is essential to promote the sustainable tourism in the peninsula. The following major recommendations were considered through this study to promote sustainable tourism, such as providing loans to the hospitality industry, establishing a tourist board, renovating tourist spots and encouraging community participation. The people who live in the peninsula's rural regions, can get several benefits through the opportunities of income generation while promote tourism. So applying those recommendations are essential to renovate the tourism sector in a sustainable manner.