The impacts of tourism development on poverty alleviation in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Tourism, being a dynamic economic actor, is of utmost importance in influencing the lives of rural communities in the developing world. This paper discusses how tourism activities affect economic growth of the surrounding area, business entrepreneurship, the creation of employment and poverty reduction among the rural population of Sri Lanka. With the main question of how tourism programmes affect grassroots-level socioeconomic development, the study examines the subtle discourse between tourism development and rural welfare. Drawing on sustainable tourism and pro-poor development literature, the study adopts a quantitative approach, using a survey of 310 respondents with a structured questionnaire developed from previously validated studies. The results indicate that there is a close correlation (positive) existing between tourism and increased income levels, employment generation as well as facilitating small-scale business enterprises. The findings indicate that tourism does not simply cause an increase in economic uplift but also fosters local innovation and cooperation within communities. Nevertheless, issues such as a lack of digital skills, unsatisfactory infrastructure, and weak policy implementation continue to hinder inclusive growth. The research proposes interventions which would involve opening up of financing, training of tourism entrepreneurs, and the enhancement of coordination of stakeholders. Tourism has the potential to be an effective means of achieving equitable rural development, but it has so far been employed in ways that lack inclusive policymaking and community-based planning. These findings contribute to the ongoing debate on how developing countries such as Sri Lanka can strategically use the tourism industry to bring about a transformative era of sustainable, long-term development at the village level.