Abstract:
Tourism is widely promoted as a catalyst for economic recovery, social reconstruction and reconciliation
in post-conflict societies. In Sri Lanka, following the end of nearly three decades
of civil conflict in 2009, tourism has emerged as a key development strategy, particularly in
the war-affected Northern and Eastern Provinces. However, the rapid expansion of tourism in
post-conflict contexts has raised critical ethical concerns regarding equity, participation, cultural
representation, and governance. This study analyses ethical tourism practices in postconflict
Sri Lanka by foregrounding community perspectives and examining tourism’s contribution
to community-centered recovery. Adopting a qualitative research design, the study draws
on semistructured interviews and focus group discussions with residents, small-scale tourism
entrepreneurs, cultural practitioners, community leaders and tourism officials, complemented by
analysis of policy documents and ethical tourism frameworks. Thematic analysis was employed
to identify key ethical challenges and community experiences related to tourism development.
Findings reveal that while tourism has contributed to infrastructure development and livelihood
opportunities, ethical tourism remains unevenly institutionalised. Communities expressed
concerns regarding unequal benefit distribution, limited participation in decisionmaking, cultural
commodification and the dominance of top-down development approaches. These ethical
shortcomings constrain tourism’s potential to foster long-term resilience and reconciliation.
Nevertheless, the study highlights that community-led, ethically grounded tourism initiatives
can strengthen social cohesion, restore cultural dignity, and support postconflict healing. The
study concludes that embedding ethical principles, such as inclusive governance, fair benefitsharing,
and culturally sensitive representation, into tourism policy and practice is essential for
sustainable post-conflict recovery. By aligning tourism development with community resilience
and social justice, Sri Lanka can harness tourism as a meaningful instrument for peace building
and inclusive development.
