Sarath Wijesinghe (President’s Counsel, former Ambassador to UAE and Israel, Solicitor in England and Wales, President Ambassador’s forum)

Tourism and Cricket

They say Sri Lanka is famous both for tourism and cricket. Propagation of tourism is a necessity for the country want of tourists for the most needed foreign currency and income for the country from the industry which brings fame, income and many other benefits. Sri Lanka is a taylor made compact nation for tourism with all ingredients to be a leader on tourism  a stated by  Marco Polo  in 13^th century , that it is the best compact island in the world of its size with all ingredients intact to be a beautiful tourist/travellers destination, visited by many from time immemorial due to strategic position geographically on the famous sea route on the silk route used by many including ‘Fa Hian’ who visited Ceylon in 410 AD/CE and many others who voyaged for trade and other purposes. Amongst many Sri Lanka is known and famous for Golden beaches, rising waves, misty mountains, mighty elephants, rare leopards of its kind only found in Sri Lanka in abundance, giant Wales, majestic past, lovely tea, golden beaches, spicey food, oldest cities, wild life watching and hospitality Sri Lanka is famous for. Cricket was  introduced to Sri Lanka via Britain dominated in 1815 as and gained independence on 1948 as a free nation which became  famous as a cricketing nation having won the world cup which is a rare distinction in 1995/6  with flying colours. Cricket is a most famous sport played in Sri Lanka starting and promoting with school cricket which is famous among the nation enjoyed by all equally sponsored by the media. South Asian countries are dedicated and immersed on cricket as much as the other commonwealth countries and the latest is the emergence of new cricketing nations from other parts of the world. BCCSL Cricket  control body in Sri Lanka with links and supervision of the mother council is the governing body set up on 5^th september1832 is a rich and powerful controlling  body on the sport rooted in schools and villages with lot of controversies and publicity is indirectly supervised by the Minister of sport carefully interacting with the cricket board the cricket unions and the people who are very vociferous and inquisitive as a popular game  on the management of cricket in Sri Lanka. Cricket and tourism needs a new face of life and innovative changes in order to derive the maximum use of the hidden and unexplored treasures for the benefit of the country in larger scale as both sports and the industry are money spinners if wisely managed maintaining international standards though sorry no note both cricket and tourism is not properly managed and made us of for the maximum benefit for the nation.

Five Billion visited Sri Lanka

5 billion tourists visited Sri Lanka in 2021, ranking 4^th out of South Asian group and 74 out of 141 countries ranking 180 th in the world. Tourism contributes 12.6 for the GDP, and the 3^rd largest income only next to income from remittances abroad by employed overseas. Tourism was picking up at a fast rate that was retarded by the war that has lasted 26years, Covid19, Easter bombing in 2019 and the economic crisis that engulfed the nation with deep financial showdown. Yet Sri Lanka emerged victorious may be due to the natural beauty and famous places of interest to visit with the beauty and climatic conditions. Hospitality is the other part of the coin and a necessity for the promotion of tourism. Sri Lankans are a hospitable natin the country is full of places on hospitability such as reputed hotels and different kind of eating places including Sri Lankan dishes which are common.

 Cricket is the most popular game

Cricket is the most popular game in Sri Lanka South Asia and the commonwealth headed by the Britain. It is a money spinner for Sri Lanka that earned 6.3 billion around the world cup she won and from other tournaments prior to and after and continues to be a sport and a source of income. Prudential cup also known as the world cup is held every four years take place at the host nations with the supervision of the governing body established after the Australia England test match in 1877 and subsequent developments that progressed on the regulatory powers by the governing body of the sport which is a money making and powerful body with enormous regulatory powers. Enormous sums are earned from cricket but it is generated via the Cricket Board with strict supervision of the world body with no control from the host country which is a safety net to avoid bribery and corruption, yet the reports are the cricket board  as corrupt as any other government enterprise that are known and famous for bribery and corruption which is the topics for news very often on the media. The world cup victory for Sri Lanka in many was such as image building the country is needed badly due to anti Sri Lanka propaganda by anti-Sri Lankan groups and international organizations and to invite investors to the country in need of most needed foreign currency to meet the economic crisis possible due to management of the economy by governance of all sides. Sri Lanka earned 6.3 billion USD the highest income so far expecting more from forthcoming games and competitions in addition to the amounts anticipated from sale of tickets, rights, sponsorships, media and many other which are substantial sums on Sri Lankan standards.

Third large income earner

Sri Lanka Tourism is the third large income earner to the nation only next to the income from foreign employment. Can Sri meet the target of one million tourists in 2023 is a very ambitious expectation that is possible to achieve provided no unexpected local or world disaster sets in such as Tsunami or Covid 19 which is unlikely take place when Sri Lanka’s optimism is on the rise to achieve ambitious target of 1.5 million per year with the rise of tourism by 19%, with 130904 tourists from Russia,  from UK 67691 from Germany 44725  China followed by many other nations yet in need of more publicity for the sport which is controversial due to financial irregularities by the crick administration in Sri Lanka. Yet Sri Lanka is lagging behind the tourist nations for want of more hi end tourists in search of much needed foreign currency and local income too at this financial crisis. Cricket has and will attract attention of the world on Sri Lanka that may directly and indirectly help to promote the tourist and hospitality industries. Sri Lanka reached to be the runners up at the Asian Cup on cricket that gave a boost and publicity to Sri Lanka on cricket with a ripple effect on tourism and hospitality with a substantial income to the country, and the cricket fans and the country is awaiting for the forthcoming world cup with high hopes with the current improvements on the sport.

Sri Lanka is famous for cricket tourism Cinnamon and Tea

Sri Lanka is famous for cricket, tourism, hospitality, tea, cinnamon, and places of historical importance and all these work together world be a strong force to help each other. Sri Lanka proved herself a cricketing nations by winning the world cup and successfully aiming at it continuously awaiting for the forthcoming world cup. Sri Lanka is considered to be most tasty and leader on production now only second to Kenya yet maintains herself a a nation of tea. Sri Lankan cinnamon is the best in the world as it is Sri Lankan climate and the soil is the ideal for cinnamon as pronounced by specialists, and the demand for Sri Lankan cinnamon world over is high. It is a pity that Sri Lanka is not making use of the 40 Embassies, High Commissions Consular offices non-resident Embassy outlets and a Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a Minister and a Deputy maintained with enormous cost for the portion propagation of our cricket, tourism, hospitality industry cinnamon tea and Sri Lanka with the respective host countries with a plan of action with the Sri Lankan communities willing to cooperate with the  embassy using embassies as vehicles outlets and centres. Cricket is a money spinner for the players, cricket administration and all those connected to cricket as it is supervised and managed by the world cricket body which is a private entity performing independently independent of any state of international organisation, though there is a minister of sports on all sprots activities with limited powers to act intervene or interfere on ricket administration.

Income from tourism

Money earned from tourism could be around 6.3 billion per year at the rate of 834,59 per year and USD 633.8 earned from cricket are substantial sums in terms of the difficulties during the crisis and what is more important is the waste and bribery and inefficiency in both sectors and the potential to earn more with innovative novel methods that has been overlooked is noteworthy to mention. The income could be increased if managed and improved professionally and with well planned programmes  for both areas which are money spinners if managed and improved properly with care and dedication. As mentioned often they say tourism is booming rapidly today with hopes on future improvements keeping the pace with the competitors in the industry managing their industry better on world standards. Cinnamon and Tea re other resources not properly tapped and improved to get the maximum use to assist the ailing economy.  Tea was introduces during the end of Dutch rule the foreigners improved for their benefit disturbing the local living with nature and improving the local economy and health by introducing bread culture instead of health red rice which has been the stable food with local vegetables and fruits in abundance, and started importing all kinds of food from abroad. Tea known as black largest exporter in 1995,  is produced from the tea plant known as ‘Camillea Sinesis’ which generally grows in hilly mountainous elevations which consists so 2% of the EDP and reputation as best tea in the world as the 4^th largest tea exporter and competing with Kenya to be a largest producer in the world, currewntly23% world exporter. It is Henry ‘Randaph’ who is considered for a pioneer of tea to Sri Lanka for the benefit of the foreign powers led to clearing of forest mountains and destabilised the environment and climatic conditions reducing the forest density leading to drastic consequences. Tea is mainly exported to Soviet Russia, UAE, Syria, Turkey, UK, EU, Japan and many other. There is a Tea Research Institute and many sales outlets worldwide world over with minimum assistance from the forty Embassies  High Commissions and outlets with enormous potential to promote cricket, tourism, tea, cinnamon and generally Sri Lanka and her image which is badly in need due to the current economic crisis the country is going through. Cinnamon was introduces on 14^th to 15^th century to Sri Lanka first  by Portuguese and then by Dutch now leading the world market as expensive and precious spice used in the world and dominating 90% world market mainly to Mexico Peru and many other. One million are employed directly and indirectly on tea industry and plantations with a grave shortages for cinnamon as it is also an specialised industry as tea.

Money spinners

Both cricket and tourism are money spinners with networks of expansion via clubs, stadiums schools many other networks and outlets. UAE is not a cricketing nation, yet it brings lot of revenue to the host country and the players, who become millionaire overnight as in football in the category of world’s richest. Both are money spinners obtaining the maximum use I other countries but Sri Lanka which is unfortunate. World cup of cricket is due which is a main opportunity to generate some income with a boom on tourism, now and in anticipation of a better regimes on tourism and cricket. Sri Lanka is famous for tourism cricket, cinnamon, tea, and hospitality and it is time to strengthen the network of embassies to derive the maximum benefit in order to ease the difficulties going through the economic front.