Sri Lanka charts new course for blue economy with launch of Marine Tourism Roadmap

SRI Lanka Tourism has taken a decisive step towards redefining its coastal economy and strengthening its tourism portfolio with the official launch of the Marine Tourism Roadmap, a strategic framework aimed at harnessing the country’s extensive ocean resources for sustainable development.

- 

The initiative, spearheaded by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under technical assistance program TA9881SRI: Supporting Tourism Resilience, reflects a concerted effort to position marine tourism as a cornerstone of national economic resilience and environmental stewardship.

The roadmap, unveiled at a ceremony in Colombo, marks a culmination of over a year of research, consultations, and site visits carried out by an ADB-appointed international consultant team alongside SLTDA officials. It defines a comprehensive set of short and long-term measures to build robust, eco-conscious tourism infrastructure along Sri Lanka's coasts, with a clear focus on balancing conservation with economic opportunity.

International input was led by ADB-appointed marine tourism consultant Sea Going Green CEO Aleksandra Dragozet, whose technical leadership ensured the roadmap's alignment with global best practices for sustainable tourism.