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Tourism in Sri Lanka

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Hikkaduwa beach
Tourists visiting Ravana Falls

Sri Lanka is a popular tourist destination. Tourism is a key industry that attracts international tourists yearly. Foreigners visit Sri Lanka to see nature, wildlife, historical monuments, and indigenous culture. In 2018, tourist arrivals peaked at 2.5 million, who spent a total of US$5.6 billion in the country. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused tourist numbers to decrease by 92% in 2020. As of 2022, tourist numbers have not rebounded from the pre-crisis high. The government is attempting to attract foreign investment in the country's tourism industry, which began in earnest after the end of the Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009.[1]

Tourism

[edit]
Colombo skyline
The Samadhi statue at Polonnaruwa Gal Vihara

The government initiatives in the development of tourism date back to 1937 when the Ceylon Tourist Bureau was established.[2] However, it was closed down in September 1939 due to World War II. After Sri Lanka's independence the promotion of tourism was again considered by re-establishing the Ceylon Tourist Board which took over the function of the Tourist Bureau.

In 1965, J. R. Jayewardene as Minister of State initiated the first major development of the tourism industry with the Ceylon Tourist Board Act No 10 of 1966 and the Ceylon Hotels Corporation Act No 14 of 1966, which formed the Ceylon Tourist Board and the Ceylon Hotels Corporation. Since then the Ceylon Tourist Board has functioned as the state agency, responsible for the development and promotion of the tourism sector in Sri Lanka. Ceylon Hotels Corporation paved the way for government investments to build hotels needed to attract tourists.[3]

In October 2007 according to Section 2 of the Tourism Act No. 38 of 2005, the Sri Lanka Tourist Board (Act No 10 of 1966) was replaced by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).[4]

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has classified Sri Lanka into several resort regions suitable for tourism development:[5]

Shared Tourism with India

[edit]

In the past, ferry services between India and Sri Lanka for tourists have been introduced and suspended repeatedly because of their low usage.[6] The low usage of the old ferry services could be due to the high cost of the former services.[7] As of now, the only way for tourists to access India from Sri Lanka is by air. In 2019 negotiations about ferry services between Colombo and Tuticorin and between Talaimannar and Rameshwaram began. There is also a proposal to operate a cruise/ferry service between Colombo and Kochi in Kerala. The Indian and Sri Lankan governments are working closely together to connect the two neighbouring countries better.[8] The Sri Lankan minister of Tourism Development John Amaratunga indicated that ferry service will help tourists from both sides to travel at a very low cost.[9]

History

[edit]
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Overseas visitors to Sri Lanka 2002–2022
Data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA))

When the government decided to develop the tourism sector as a separate sector of the country's economy by establishing the Ceylon Tourist Bureau in 1966, there were 18,969 foreign tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka. There was an upward trend of tourist arrivals until 1982, with the exception of 1971. Between 1976 and 1982, tourist arrivals had increased by 24% per year. The tourist traffic in 1982 showed that there was a remarkable growth in the number of tourists, with 407,230 arrivals.[10] However, with the beginning of the civil war in 1983, the growth of tourist arrivals declined and stagnated to around 300,000 – 500,000 arrivals annually.

The civil war that had lasted over 25 years ended in 2009 as LTTE separatists were defeated by government forces. In 2009 the tourist arrivals numbered 448,000, and in 2015, 1,798,380, showing over 300% growth in six years.[11]

There is a significant domestic tourist segment, most commonly for family holidays, pilgrimages, and general sightseeing.[citation needed] In 2014 six million Sri Lankans travelled within the country as domestic tourists.[12] The main destinations of domestic tourists are Anuradhapura, Kataragama, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Sri Pada, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Dambulla. Domestic tourism is noticeable during school vacations and on weekends.

Presences compared between 2018 and 2019.[13] 2018 2019
January 238,924 244,239
February 235,618 252,033
March 233,382 244,328
April 180,429 166,975
May 129,466 37,802
June 146,828 63,072
July 217,829 115,701
August 200,359 143,587
September 149,087 108,575
October 153,123 118,743
November 195,582 176,984
December 253,169 241,663
Total 2,333,796 1,913,702

Sri Lanka reopened for tourism in January 2021 under a health protocol involving pre-flight and post-arrival tests for Coronavirus.[14] Tourists could visit a series of designated locations under 'bio bubble' concept avoiding contact with locals and stay at a number of certified hotels.[15] An updated list was made available at the Sri Lanka Tourism promotion authority website section 'Hello Again'.[16] Prior to the official opening, a controversy erupted over tourists brought from Ukraine by a former Ambassador to Russia, where health protocols were breached. It was later described as a pilot project.[17] The first tourists after the COVID-19 closure arrived in Ukraine's SkyUp Airlines at Mattala Airport on December 28 as part of the so-called pilot project.[18] In January and February 2021 Sri Lanka welcomed 5,048 tourists, down from 435,941 in 2020, before airports closed in March.[19]

Visitor statistics

[edit]

Most visitors arriving in Sri Lanka on a short-term basis were from the following countries:[20][21]

Foreign visitors to Sri Lanka
Country 9/2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
 India 286,556 302,844 123,004 56,268 89,357 355,002 424,887
 United Kingdom 136,464 130,088 85,187 16,646 55,455 198,776 254,176
 Russia 127,232 197,498 91,272 16,984 49,397 86,549 64,497
 Germany 99,571 102,539 55,542 12,442 34,507 134,899 156,888
 China[22] 97,267 68,789 4,715 2,417 26,147 167,863 265,965
 France 71,090 56,251 35,482 6,549 24,838 87,623 106,449
 Australia 62,004 67,436 30,924 4,421 20,283 92,674 110,928
 United States 43,678 46,344 22,230 6,124 16,842 68,832 75,308
 Netherlands 39,977 29,056 11,987 2,422 8,656 38,993 57,160
 Maldives 34,457 37,298 18,880 6,272 9,407 60,278 76,108
 Canada 33,007 43,944 26,845 5,079 12,346 48,729 52,681
 Poland 30,636 17,946 15,195 2,110 11,908 20,896 20,378
 Italy 29,346 22,242 7,449 1,309 8,603 36,147 38,379
 Spain 28,014 23,905 12,895 2,015 3,385 24,489 29,208
  Switzerland 22,277 23,556 13,260 2,974 6,389 29,981 33,965
 Japan 22,260 19,583 3,087 392 6,644 30,079 49,450
 Israel 20,515 19,517 9,326 1,724 3,556 14,770 13,833
 Czech Republic 14,894 12,056 7,350 1,864 7,599 19,204 17,600
 Malaysia 14,053 10,940 2,779 323 3,494 16,861 22,808
 Belgium 13,645 10,667 6,164 1,283 3,371 14,948 17,519
 Austria 12,080 10,594 5,541 1,502 4,300 14,713 19,320
 Denmark 11,464 10,346 7,278 1,302 4,905 16,869 19,223
 Pakistan 9,774 10,744 6,260 7,520 3,065 14,655 19,116
 Kazakhstan 8,949 5,130 8,068 5,754 2,333 2,399 2,721
 Norway 8,696 8,747 5,983 1,141 3,019 13,446 17,217
 Iran 8,669 10,322 4,301 397 648 3,249 5,720
 Singapore 8,666 9,551 3,770 557 2,545 13,871 19,861
 New Zealand 8,025 7,913 2,866 325 2,324 12,463 13,825
 Sweden 7,889 8,643 5,097 1,601 7,061 22,464 28,267
 Belarus 7,592 10,969 3,621 646 2,638 4,796 4,621
 South Korea 7,470 7,298 1,843 389 2,499 12,195 15,748
 Taiwan 6,955 4,999 363 42 1,985 7,127 8,187
 Ireland 6,248 5,136 3,056 559 2,294 8,254 10,830
 Thailand 5,395 4,922 1,725 247 1,880 9,861 9,178
 Ukraine 5,039 5,082 14,917 7,037 17,169 35,051 36,515
 Turkey 4,841 3,739 1,514 309 2,121 4,972 4,262
 Slovakia 4,822 4,464 2,432 664 1,513 4,944 5,289
 Lithuania 4,755 2,722 2,115 383 1,054 2,793 3,386
 Saudi Arabia 4,639 6,797 5,952 1,596 4,755 15,707 34,703
 Hungary 4,523 3,786 2,324 445 1,588 4,091 4,514
 Portugal 4,364 3,943 1,906 372 1,602 5,193 5,933
 Romania 4,279 4,092 3,313 820 1,724 5,463 5,931
 Philippines 3,977 4,164 1,961 529 4,249 14,590 19,303
 South Africa 3,204 3,444 1,502 272 1,364 7,132 7,416
   Nepal 3,076 4,750 1,065 325 1,384 5,414 5,302
 Estonia 2,859 1,808 978 376 1,185 2,516 2,744
 Egypt 2,840 3,091 2,340 400 956 3,708 3,854
 Finland 2,753 2,287 1,500 341 2,298 7,028 8,888
 Lebanon 2,575 3,347 1,606 547 483 4,304 5,521
 Slovenia 2,370 1,927 602 91 800 2,926 3,902
Total 1,484,808 1,487,303 719,978 194,495 507,704 1,913,702 2,333,796

Attractions

[edit]

Tourist attractions are classifiable as natural or anthropogenic. Natural attractions include nature spots, flora and fauna, and places with a pleasant climate. Geotourism sites may also be included in this category. Anthropogenic attractions include archaeological and cultural attractions, historical and religion sites, performing arts and folklore, handicrafts and artifacts.

Wildlife

[edit]
Yala National Park has the world's highest concentration of leopards per square kilometer.[23]
The world's largest gathering of wild Asian elephants at Minneriya park is commonly known as The Gathering.[24][25][26]

Despite its small size, Sri Lanka possesses a high level of biodiversity and wildlife resources and is rated among the 34 biodiversity hotspots in the world.[27] Many species of flora and fauna are indigenous to Sri Lanka. This has made the island a country with the highest rates of biological endemism in the world.

Forbes ranked Sri Lanka as one of top wildlife safaris outside of Africa,[28] due to the actual presence of five charismatic megafauna (The Big Five) and the relative ease of seeing them during a single tour itinerary.[29] The Leopard, the Asian elephant and Sloth Bear are found in several national parks. The Yala National Park has one of the highest concentrations of leopards in the world. Wildlife photographer and author Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne has shown that Sri Lanka is the best place in the world to spot Blue whales. A narrow continental shelf off Mirissa, Sri Lanka allows Blue and Sperm whales to swim close to the shore.[30] Seasonally, the largest gathering of Asian elephants numbering 200-300 or higher takes place at the Minneriya National Park.[31]

Thirteen percent of Sri Lanka's land surface has been designated as Wildlife Protected Areas (WLPAs), which at present exceed a total area of 8,500 km2 (3,282 sq mi).[32] Approximately 7% of the area is national parks, the areas allowed for the public to see and study wildlife. Sri Lanka's national parks have become popular tourist destinations.

National parks
Adam's Bridge · Angammedilla · Bundala · Chundikkulam · Delft · Flood Plains · Gal Oya · Galway's Land · Hikkaduwa · Horagolla ·  · Horton Plains · Kaudulla · Kumana · Lahugala Kitulana · Lunugamvehera · Madhu Road · Maduru Oya · Minneriya · Pigeon Island · Somawathiya · Udawalawe · Ussangoda · Wasgamuwa · Wilpattu · Yala

Beaches

[edit]
The Unawatuna beach at the southern coast of the island was named as the World's Best Beach for 2004 by Discovery Channel.[33] In 2013 it was ranked in among the world's 100 best beaches list by CNN.[34]
Main article: List of beaches in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka possesses nearly 1,600 km (994 mi) coastlines with tropical beaches which are popular among both local and foreign tourists.[35] Most of the coastlines of the country are studded with varying coastal features such as bays, lagoons, sandbanks, and rocky headlands. Marine recreation activities, such as sea bathing and swimming, surfing, boating, snorkelling, deep-sea fishing, underwater photography, and scuba diving, can be seen at most of these beaches and related resort areas. Beaches at Tangalle, Beruwala, Mirissa, Bentota, Unawatuna, Arugam Bay, Pasikudah, Hikkaduwa, Uppuveli and Negombo are considered as famous tourist beaches in the country.Coconut Tree Hill is a popular tourist attraction in Mirissa Beach and one of the most Instagrammed locations in Sri Lanka.[36]

Related attractions
Hummanaya · Stilt fishing

Natural scenic beauty

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Sri Lanka has numerous tourist attractions with areas of natural scenic beauty, primarily including mountainous terrains, agricultural landscapes, waterfalls, places with diverse climatic conditions, reservoirs (wewas), and rivers.

Related attractions
Waterfalls of Sri Lanka · Mountains of Sri Lanka · Rivers of Sri Lanka

Botanical/zoological gardens

[edit]
Herd of elephants at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

The country has six botanical gardens and four Zoological gardens. The botanical gardens are maintained by the Department of National Botanical Gardens,[37] and the zoological gardens are maintained by the Department of National Zoological Gardens.[38] The gardens have become attractive places among local and foreign visitors.

Botanical Gardens
Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya · Hakgala Botanical Garden · Henarathgoda Botanical Garden · Mirijjawila Botanical Garden · Seetawaka Botanical Garden · Ganewatta Forest Medicinal Herbal Botanical Garden

Zoological Gardens
National Zoological Gardens · Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage · Pinnawala Open Zoo · Ridiyagama Safari Park

Bird Watching

[edit]

Sri Lanka is home to 26 endemic-bird species and seven proposed endemic species. The total number of bird species recorded in the island is 492 of which 219 are breeding residents. Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, commonly abbreviated FOGSL, is the Sri Lankan affiliate of BirdLife International. It was founded in 1976 to promote the conservation of birds and preservation of the environment. FOGSL headquarters are situated in the Department of Zoology, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Identifying and proposing Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Sri Lanka is one of the main activities of the group.[39] From 2008, Field Ornithology Group conducts a bird count in December in the lines of Christmas Bird Count by the National Audubon Society of the United States.[40] Sri Lanka's location at the tip of the Indian subcontinent has made the island a termination point in the north–south bird migratory route.[41]

The small grants programme of the United Nations Development Programme granted the Field Ornithology Group US$20,308.00 for printing of selected publications and other activities.[42] As part of their educational programmes, Field Ornithology Group has published many books and posters, not only on birds but also mammals and wetlands.[43] The FOGSL also publish two periodicals, Kedetta in Sinhala and Malkoha in English.

Heritage

[edit]
Sigiriya the ancient stone fortress considered by many to be the eighth wonder of the world.[44]

Heritage tourism involves visiting historical sites. Sri Lanka is very rich in pre-historic, proto-historic, and historic monuments, which bespeak its ancient civilization and culture. Mainly Buddhism has influenced in the moulding of the cultural heritage of the country. The historic period of Sri Lanka proper starts circa 236 B.C. with the introduction of Buddhism to the country by the missionaries sent by the Indian empire Asoka.

The UNESCO has declared six archaeological and two ecological World Heritage Sites in the country.[45] Beside the world heritage sites the government of Sri Lanka has declared a number of archaeological protected sites and monuments within the country.

World Heritage Sites
Anuradhapura · Central Highlands of Sri Lanka · Dambulla cave temple · Galle · Polonnaruwa · Sigiriya · Sinharaja Forest Reserve · Temple of the Tooth

Archaeological Protected Monuments
Nuwara Eliya District · Matale District · Kandy District · Ampara District · Trincomalee District · Batticaloa District · Anuradhapura District · Polonnaruwa District · Kurunegala District · Puttalam District · Kilinochchi District · Mannar District · Mullaitivu District · Jaffna District · Vavuniya District · Kegalle District · Ratnapura District · Galle District · Matara District · Hambantota District · Badulla District · Monaragala District · Colombo District · Kalutara District · Gampaha District

Pilgrimage

[edit]
The mountain of Adams Peak (Sri Pada) is one of the places where people of four major religions worship together.

Sri Lanka is well known for its rich Buddhist culture as well as other religions. Being a religious country, Sri Lanka has many places with religious and historic significance, which attract tourists from all over the world. Anuradhapura, Temple of the Tooth, Adam's Peak, Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu and Kataragama, are a few famous religious sites on the island that attract a large number of tourists.

The foot pilgrimage called Pada Yatra, which is one of Sri Lanka's oldest traditions, has been practised for centuries, where the local people from Jaffna come along the East Coast to Kataragama shrine.[46]

Related attractions
Buddhist Vihara in Sri Lanka · Hindu temples in Sri Lanka · Atamasthana · Solosmasthana

Sports and adventure

[edit]

Sports tourism is defined as either people being involved in, observing or participating in a particular sporting event for leisure.[47] Sri Lanka is also a destination for sports such as cricket, rugby, golf and surfing. Except for cricket, the contribution to the tourism sector from other sports is still at a very low level. Apart from mainstream sports events, adventure sports are also included in sports tourism. Trekking, hiking, diving, rock climbing, deep sea fishing, whale watching, kitesurfing and hot air ballooning are some of the adventure sports those can be found in Sri Lanka.[48][49]

Related attractions
Whale watching in Sri Lanka

Culture and other

[edit]
National Museum of Colombo, established in 1877
Tea tourism is a relatively new concept, which is already practiced in Sri Lanka.[50]

Cultural tourism includes tourism in urban areas, particularly historic or large cities and their cultural facilities such as museums and theatres.

Museums and theatres – Currently four national museums[51] and 26 archaeological museums[52] have been established in Sri Lanka. National museums are maintained by the Department of National Museums and archaeological museums by the Department of Archaeology. Besides the museums, a large number of theatres also can be found in Sri Lanka.

Festivals – Sri Lanka is a multi-cultural country with several different festivals celebrated by various communities. The Kandy Esala Perahera, Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations, Vesak Festival, Christmas, Ramadan festival, Thai Pongal, and the Galle Literary Festival are a few of the major festivals.

Performing arts – There are three main traditional dance forms in Sri Lanka: Kandyan dancing, low country dancing, and Sabaragamuwa dancing. Though not unique to Sri Lanka, 'Bharatanatyam', which originated from India is also popular in Sri Lanka, particularly among the Tamil community.

Food – The cuisine of Sri Lanka has been influenced by many historical, cultural, and other factors. Rice is the main staple diet of the country. Other staples include hoppers, string hoppers, and pittu.[53]

Being one of the largest producers of tea in the world Sri Lanka is best known for the production of unorthodox tea. Tea was introduced to the country by the British who called the country "Ceylon". Pure Ceylon tea is considered some of the finest tea produced anywhere in the world.

Handicrafts – Handicrafts available in Sri Lanka include wood carving, silverware, brass castings, ceramic ware, bamboo products, pottery, batiks, lace works, cane works, costume jewellery, lacquerware, wooden masks, coir goods, handlooms, and ivory products.

Related attractions
Museums in Sri Lanka · Theatre of Sri Lanka · Festivals in Sri Lanka · Esala Perahera · Dances of Sri Lanka · Sri Lankan cuisine · Sri Lankan sweets and desserts

Accommodations

[edit]
Sri Lanka railway train Passing through Demodara bridge in Ella
Cinnamon Air seaplane in Colombo

Tourist accommodations in Sri Lanka consist of graded hotels, supplementary establishments, guest houses and limited-scale camping sites. More informal accommodation is available on a paying guest system in private houses and hill-country tea estate bungalows.

Earnings

[edit]

The tourist industry makes a significant contribution to the national economy by directly contributing to the government budget, foreign exchange earnings and employment generation. It contributes both directly and indirectly, in the provision of goods and services to the tourist sector.

Year Total Revenue of Tourism Industry ( million. US$) [54][55][56]
2015 Increase$2,980
2016 Increase$3,518
2017 Increase$3,924
2018 Increase$4,380
2019 Decrease$3,606
2020 Decrease$682
2021 Decrease$506
2022 Increase$1,256
2023 Increase$2,068

Social and environmental impacts

[edit]

Tourism in Sri Lanka, despite its generate Income to the economy, It had received some critics. The high biodiversity of Sri Lanka seems to be threatened by the development of mass tourism which has already affected several natural reserves. Some endangered animal species seem to be seriously threatened by the rise of tourism in some areas; that is the case with the Keerthisinghe's Rock Frog, which is endemic in Sri Lanka.[57]

An alternative kind of tourism, called ecotourism, sustainable tourism or responsible tourism, enables travellers to participate in tourism throughout Sri Lanka while contributing to the well-being of the local communities and making sure their environmental impact is limited.[58] The Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation is the national organization that created an official ecotourism network through the island, allowing to develop sustainable tourism with wide options of travel. In 2010, the foundation won the presidential award for "Outstanding Contribution to Tourism in Sri Lanka".[59]

Elephants in tourism

[edit]

Elephant trekking, or elephant riding is a significant attraction for tourists coming to visit Sri Lanka. It is traditionally seen as a way of getting closer to nature, often taking place in sanctuaries and orphanages.[60] The largest orphanage in Sri Lanka is Pinnawala, which, as of 2023, houses more than 90 elephants.

Since their wild instincts remain, elephants must be broken and controlled to be able to work, be around humans, and give rides.[61] One of the traditional methods used by the tourism industry is the 'phajaan', also known as elephant crushing or 'breaking the elephant's spirit'.[62] A report by Born Free in 2007 into Pinnawala, revealed questionable animal welfare standards including: chaining male elephants during 'musth' causing wounds to the legs and training elephants with the threat of pain from an 'ankus'.[63]

During elephant trekking experiences, other concerns include the use of howdahs, which combined with the weight of a tourist, can cause agonising and permanent spinal damage.[64] Additionally, high tourist demand for elephant trekking means that elephants may also be forced to work long hours in hot and humid conditions.[65]

Laws and Regulations

[edit]

In September 2021, the Sri Lankan government introduced new animal protection laws. These measures included strict regulation around working with elephants, mandated daily two-and-a-half-hour bath for each animal, required all animals to have new photo identity cards, and to have a medical check-up every six months, among other provisions. Those who fail to comply could be charged with three years in prison, with their elephants taken into state care.[66]

However, pundits argued that the law had loopholes which could still be exploited.[67] According to the former president of the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society, Rukshan Jayawardena, the law [legitimised] the ownership of 30 to 40 elephant that were kidnapped from the wild, mostly between 2010 and 2015.[68]

Whilst there has been sufficient local legislation to stop the illegal capture and trade of Asian Elephants in Sri Lanka, research has found that effort to stop these illicit activities have been hampered due to corruption among wildlife officers, politicians, clergymen and military personnel.[69]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
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  2. ^ "Overview". Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  3. ^ "History at SLTDA". Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Archived from the original on 6 November 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  4. ^ "Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority". Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  5. ^ "Key Development Projects". Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
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  29. ^ "7 Places Where You Can See Big Game Outside Of Africa". The Business Insider. 27 September 2013. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
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[edit]
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Sri Lanka.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tourism in Sri Lanka.
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