Sustainable Hospitality in Sri Lanka: Redefining Service Excellence, Resilience, and Reputation in the Post-COVID Era
Introduction
The hospitality industry in Sri Lanka is at a defining crossroads. As the nation rebuilds from the twin crises of the pandemic and economic instability, tourism stands as both a challenge and a lifeline. With the post-COVID recovery well underway, the path to success lies not in returning to traditional models but in embracing a new paradigm — one that integrates sustainability at its core. Sustainable hospitality, encompassing accreditation, responsible supply chains, and transparent reporting, offers the opportunity to redefine what service excellence means in this century.
This transformation is not a mere marketing slogan. It is a systemic shift that addresses resilience, reputation, and responsibility. Sustainable hospitality is about ensuring that Sri Lanka’s tourism thrives without compromising the environment, culture, or communities that sustain it. The question is not whether Sri Lanka can adopt sustainability, but how swiftly and sincerely the industry can embed it into every operational layer — from guest experiences to governance.
The Tourism Landscape in Sri Lanka: Recovery Meets Opportunity
Tourism remains one of the most dynamic sectors of Sri Lanka’s economy, generating foreign exchange, employment, and cultural visibility. According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), in the first half of 2024, over one million international tourists visited the island — a 61.6% increase compared to the previous year. By the end of 2024, total arrivals surpassed two million, and tourism earnings exceeded 3.17 billion US dollars, representing a 53% year-on-year growth.
However, these figures, while promising, still fall short of the pre-crisis benchmark of 2018, when tourism earnings stood at 4.4 billion US dollars, contributing around 5.6% of the national GDP. Despite progress, challenges persist — including fluctuating occupancy rates, rising operational costs, limited sustainable infrastructure, and uneven regional benefits. The opportunity lies in transforming recovery into resilience through sustainability.
The Power of Sustainability Accreditation
Sustainability accreditation serves as the formal recognition that a hospitality business operates according to defined environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. In Sri Lanka, the push toward sustainability certification is intensifying, with initiatives underway to establish a National Sustainable Tourism Certification Scheme (NSTCS) aligned with international standards such as those of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.
The importance of accreditation can be understood in several dimensions:
- Market Differentiation: In a world where travellers seek authenticity and ethical experiences, accreditation becomes a mark of trust. It sets certified properties apart as credible, responsible, and forward-thinking.
- Operational Efficiency: Sustainability often goes hand in hand with efficiency. Practices like energy conservation, water management, and waste reduction translate into measurable cost savings and long-term profitability.
- Risk Mitigation and Resilience: Accreditation builds systems that anticipate risks — from resource scarcity to pandemics — ensuring business continuity and adaptive capability.
- Brand and Reputation Value: Accreditation adds credibility and enhances brand appeal in a market increasingly sensitive to environmental and social concerns.
- Global Alignment: Certified operations gain access to green finance, international partnerships, and responsible travel markets.
Sustainability accreditation, therefore, is not just a badge; it is a strategic tool for redefining excellence and competitiveness.
Responsible Supply Chains: The Hidden Engine of Sustainable Hospitality
Hospitality operations rely on complex supply chains — from food and beverages to textiles, cleaning materials, and artisan crafts. A responsible supply chain ensures that every element reflects ethical sourcing, local empowerment, and environmental stewardship. For Sri Lanka, this is particularly critical, as the hospitality sector depends heavily on imported products, which limits local value creation and exposes the industry to price volatility and foreign currency risks.
Responsible supply chain management enhances service excellence in multiple ways:
- Authentic Local Experience: Guests value cultural authenticity. Partnering with local farmers, fishermen, and artisans adds depth and uniqueness to the visitor experience.
- Economic Inclusion: When hotels source locally, they empower communities, reduce unemployment, and ensure that tourism’s benefits reach beyond urban centres.
- Transparency and Traceability: A responsible supply chain eliminates reputational risks linked to unethical labour practices or environmental exploitation.
- Circular Economy Practices: Reusing, recycling, and converting waste into usable resources fosters innovation and operational efficiency.
- Cultural Sustainability: Working with indigenous and rural artisans preserves intangible heritage and crafts that are otherwise at risk of extinction.
Developing a sustainable supply chain ecosystem will not only strengthen resilience but also redefine luxury — transforming it from excess to meaningful experience.
Transparent Reporting: Building Trust, Accountability, and Global Reputation
Transparency is the foundation of modern hospitality governance. It transforms sustainability commitments into measurable and verifiable results. Transparent reporting of ESG metrics allows both guests and investors to understand a hotel’s impact — environmental footprint, social engagement, and governance integrity.
In the post-COVID era, transparency builds confidence in four major ways:
- Guest Trust: Travellers prefer brands that disclose their environmental impact, labour practices, and local contributions. Transparency strengthens customer loyalty and credibility.
- Benchmarking and Continuous Improvement: Data-driven reporting enables properties to measure progress, identify gaps, and refine strategies.
- Investor Attraction: Impact investors and green finance institutions now demand verifiable sustainability reports as a condition for funding.
- National Branding: Industry-wide transparent reporting enhances Sri Lanka’s positioning as a responsible destination, promoting trust and differentiation in global tourism markets.
Transparency turns good intentions into tangible proof — essential for maintaining integrity and long-term competitiveness.
Interlinking Sustainability, Excellence, and Reputation
The triad of accreditation, responsible supply chains, and transparency is a blueprint for sustainable transformation. Together, they create a synergy that strengthens every pillar of hospitality — service excellence, resilience, and reputation.
1. Service Excellence
Guests increasingly measure service not just by comfort or luxury, but by values and authenticity. When sustainability becomes part of the brand narrative, it enriches the overall guest experience. Staff members become ambassadors of ethical tourism, sharing the story behind each local product or eco-innovation.
2. Resilience
A sustainable hotel is a resilient one. Energy efficiency, waste minimization, and community collaboration safeguard operations against shocks like pandemics, climate change, and supply disruptions. Local sourcing ensures operational continuity even during crises.
3. Reputation
Accredited, transparent, and community-engaged hospitality businesses build credibility not just with travellers but with regulators, financiers, and international partners. Sri Lanka’s tourism brand can evolve from “sun and sea” to “responsible and regenerative,” aligning with the global demand for meaningful travel.
Case Studies: Sri Lanka’s Sustainable Hospitality Leaders
1. Jetwing Vil Uyana, Sigiriya
Once a degraded paddy field, Jetwing Vil Uyana was transformed into a thriving 28-acre wetland sanctuary. The property integrates architecture with biodiversity, housing hundreds of bird and mammal species. Through youth training programs and community employment, it demonstrates how eco-design and social inclusion can coexist with luxury.
2. Heritance Kandalama, Dambulla
An architectural and environmental icon, this property pioneered eco-conscious hospitality long before sustainability became mainstream. By converting waste into useful by-products, reforesting surrounding areas, and engaging local suppliers, Heritance Kandalama embodies resilience and reputation through sustainable innovation.
3. The Fortress Resort & Spa, Koggala
As part of the Small Luxury Hotels’ “Considerate Collection,” the Fortress integrates responsible sourcing, energy conservation, and cultural authenticity. Its commitment to sustainability demonstrates how high-end resorts can uphold luxury without compromising ethics.
4. Dolphin Beach Resort, Kalpitiya
Constructed in partnership with local communities, this resort demonstrates the value of social inclusivity. The use of local labour, materials, and design reflects the region’s identity while ensuring shared economic benefit.
5. Empirical Study on Sustainable Practices in Sri Lankan Hotels
Academic studies have shown that hotels implementing structured environmental strategies perform better financially and operationally. Yet, the absence of internal champions, training, and clear reporting frameworks remains a barrier. The lesson is clear: sustainability must be institutionalized, not improvised.
6. Gap Between Guest Expectations and Hotel Practices
A national survey revealed that guests’ expectations regarding sustainable food sourcing, waste management, and eco-friendly facilities are often unmet. Transparent reporting can bridge this perception gap, aligning guest satisfaction with operational practice.
Strategic Framework for the Future
A sustainable hospitality framework for Sri Lanka must integrate accreditation, local value creation, and transparency into a national roadmap.
1. Accreditation and Certification
- Implement the National Sustainable Tourism Certification Scheme across graded hotels by 2027.
- Provide tax incentives and marketing advantages for certified businesses.
- Align national certification with global sustainability standards to ensure credibility.
2. Responsible Supply Chains
- Target 40% of local value-chain sourcing by 2030.
- Establish tourism–agriculture linkages, empowering rural producers to supply hotels.
- Encourage upcycling and waste-to-resource models within hospitality operations.
3. Transparent Reporting
- Mandate annual sustainability reporting for certified entities, covering energy, water, waste, local sourcing, and social impact.
- Introduce a “Sri Lanka Sustainable Tourism Index” to benchmark national progress.
- Integrate sustainability dashboards into digital platforms for guests and investors.
4. Service Excellence through Engagement
- Train staff to communicate sustainability stories to guests.
- Offer experiences that connect visitors with local communities, heritage, and conservation projects.
- Transform sustainability from an operational function into a service differentiator.
5. Resilience and Risk Management
- Diversify energy sources with solar and renewable solutions.
- Develop community-based resilience programs to manage future crises.
- Foster destination-wide cooperation among hotels, local governments, and communities.
6. Reputation and Marketing
- Rebrand Sri Lanka as a leading sustainable tourism destination in Asia.
- Highlight success stories and certifications in global marketing campaigns.
- Use verified data to attract impact investors and responsible travellers.
Challenges and Ethical Considerations
While the direction is clear, several barriers must be overcome:
- Limited financial resources and access to green finance.
- Shortage of trained sustainability professionals.
- Need for consistent national policy and enforcement.
- Risk of “greenwashing” without proper verification.
- Potential exploitation or tokenism in community-based initiatives.
To ensure credibility, Sri Lanka’s sustainability transition must uphold legal integrity, protect cultural heritage, and ensure fair benefit distribution.
The Post-COVID Imperative
The pandemic has reshaped global travel behaviour. Tourists now seek safety, health, meaning, and environmental consciousness. During 2020, Sri Lanka’s tourism contribution to GDP fell below 1%, but the recovery trajectory demonstrates a resilient foundation. The future, however, requires reimagining success not in numbers alone but in value, quality, and responsibility.
Sustainability offers that path. It secures livelihoods, protects nature, and positions Sri Lanka as a progressive global player. The convergence of accreditation, ethical supply chains, and transparent reporting is not only an industry reform — it is a national strategy for long-term resilience and global distinction.
Conclusion
Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector stands on the threshold of transformation. The opportunity to rebuild tourism as a sustainable, inclusive, and transparent system is within reach. Accreditation ensures credibility, responsible supply chains empower communities, and transparent reporting builds global trust. Together, they redefine what service excellence truly means in the modern age.
Sustainability is no longer a peripheral concept; it is the central pillar of future competitiveness. As the world turns toward conscious travel, Sri Lanka must position itself not merely as a destination of beauty, but as a beacon of responsibility. The time to act is now — to protect our environment, empower our people, and elevate our hospitality standards to world-class levels.
The future of Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry will not be measured only by profits or arrivals but by purpose, integrity, and impact. By embracing sustainability in its truest sense, Sri Lanka can secure not just recovery, but a legacy.
Disclaimer
This article has been authored and published in good faith by Dr. Dharshana Weerakoon, DBA (USA), based on publicly available data from national and international sources, including the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, global tourism monitors, and international conservation bodies. It is grounded in decades of professional experience across multiple continents and ongoing industry research and insight. The content is intended solely for educational, journalistic, and public awareness purposes to stimulate discussion on sustainable tourism models. The author accepts no responsibility for any misinterpretation, adaptation, or misuse of the content. Views expressed are entirely personal and analytical, and do not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. This article and the proposed models are designed to comply fully with Sri Lankan law, including the Intellectual Property Act No. 52 of 1979 (regarding artisan rights and design ownership), the ICCPR Act No. 56 of 2007 (ensuring non-discrimination and dignity), and all relevant data privacy and ethical standards.
Authored independently and organically through lived professional expertise — not AI-generated.
Further Reading: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7046073343568977920/
Additional Reading: https://dharshanaweerakoon.com/wellness-village/
