Sri Lanka to revive tourism after Cyclone Ditwah

Colombo, Dec 14 (IANS) Sri Lankan authorities will reopen most tourist destinations and roll out a series of recovery measures to revive its tourism industry affected by Cyclone Ditwah, as the peak tourism season approaches, officials said.

Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody told journalists that the botanical gardens, which were temporarily closed due to landslides and safety concerns triggered by the cyclone, will reopen soon. He ordered relevant authorities to implement measures to address landslide risks in these areas, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan tourism officials launched a marketing campaign under the theme "Sri Lanka is ready," targeting travellers from the country's top 10 source markets through digital platforms.

Earlier on December 8, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam revealed that a long-delayed visa-free entry facility for travellers from 40 countries is expected to come into effect in January 2026, as part of broader efforts to accelerate post-disaster recovery and support the peak winter tourism season.

Earlier this week, Sri Lanka's Surveyor General N.K.U. Rohana stated that the country's upcountry landscape has changed in several locations following landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, as reported by local news outlet Daily Mirror on Friday.

This situation requires an update to the national land-use map series, he said, adding that the Survey Department plans to obtain high-resolution satellite images from space stations orbiting Sri Lanka to support an accurate re-mapping process. The new imagery is expected to help identify landslide-hit areas and assess damage to river basins, land, and agricultural zones.

He noted that detailed satellite images will be requested once the disaster situation stabilises and repairs to water bodies and roads progress further. The department has already gathered several low-resolution images from affected provinces and begun initial studies.

The Survey Department is also seeking international assistance to obtain high-resolution images, and has approached China, India, Japan, the United States, and Russia through diplomatic channels in this regard. China has already provided several close-up images showing flooded and landslide-affected areas.