Leading tourism as a vital engine to help the island recover from its worst floods in decades, veteran cricketer Kumar Sangakkara has urged foreign tourists to return to Sri Lanka.
In a video message posted on social media, the former national captain reflects on the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditva in late November.
The storm caused widespread landslides and flooding.
It affected 2.2 million people across 25 districts, leaving more than 600 dead and many more missing.
“I assure you that Sri Lanka is open, safe and ready to welcome all foreigners who are wondering, ‘Should I come to Sri Lanka?’,” Sangakkara says in his video. “When you travel, you support local communities and help move our country forward.”
On November 29, the government declared a nationwide state of emergency, and the tourism sector says the country is returning to normal.
Essential services, including the international airport and major roads, are fully operational.
Many cultural sites, such as the Sigiriya Fortress and the southern coastal beaches, were minimally affected or have already reopened to visitors.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reported that the cyclone inundated about 20% of the country’s land area, damaging more than 100,000 homes.
Economic analysts estimate that the initial damage to infrastructure and livelihoods exceeded US$5 billion.
“Our spirit has not changed,” Sangakkara says in his appeal. “That resilience, that quiet strength is who we are… together we will rebuild.”
The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau confirmed this week that over 70,000 tourists arrived in the first half of December, demonstrating continued tourism confidence despite the recent disaster.
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