Sri Lanka's tourism narrative is being written online; We must shape it now

EARLY global reactions to the recent cyclone suggest that the event did not create the reputational shock many feared.

- By Malik Fernando

Two tourists enjoying a walk in the city yesterday - Pic by Sameera Wijesinghe

(Sameera Wijesinghe)

While deeply distressing for affected communities, the world has largely viewed it as one of a series of increasingly common climate incidents across the region.

Recent Google Trends data—one of the clearest real-time indicators of international traveller sentiment—shows that interest in Sri Lanka has not collapsed. Instead, the market is displaying the typical 10-20 day hesitation window seen worldwide after climate-related events.

Searches for “hotels in Sri Lanka” held strong up to mid-November, dipped briefly after the cyclone, and then stabilised. By early December, there were even signs of a mild rebound. This indicates that travellers remain interested; they are pausing for clarity, not abandoning their plans.

Meanwhile, searches for “is Sri Lanka safe to travel” rose in the immediate aftermath but have already begun to ease. Crucially, the majority of global searches relating to Sri Lanka continue to focus on holidays, not disasters.

Although the new booking pace has dropped 30-50% we have not lost demand. Travellers simply want reassurance—and they are actively looking for it online. Demand needs to convert to bookings by providing this reassurance.

Sri Lanka's tourism promotion mechanisms face well-known constraints that make rapid crisis-response communication challenging. These limitations are not unique to this moment, but they underscore the importance of ensuring that a communication vacuum does not arise at a time when global travellers are searching intensely for up-to-date information. Silence risks harming new bookings.