Climate change, floods, landslides and tourism

I put my thinking cap on to seek a topic to write this column on tourism this week. I had a few responses on e-mail to the last I wrote on the tale of the elephants and a follow-up on a few of those would have made a nice story.

Then, there were others who also sent in their concerns about the problems of tourism on the ground; the likes of touting, ‘beach boys,’ overcharging, bad toilets, horrendous charging of commissions at each point of service, need for training of staff, the dearth of good tour guides, etc. They all would have made good columns and there is much to write about on each of those. 

And then, there is what most of you perhaps would prefer to read and hear about. The fantastic statistics of double digit growth, huge inflow of investments, potential to make fast returns, global recovery and its impact on our tourism or why climate scientists are ‘doomsday soothsayers’ and what they say must be disregarded as those that spread irrational thrash.

And of course that, there are huge funds and financial gains available for carbon offsetting and that donors from the polluting countries are falling over each other to teach us how we should be creating green economies and many lavish seminars, workshops and conferences held to share those thoughts.   

Creating mayhem

But my column is titled ‘Out of the Box’ and my mission is to bring to you what is outside of the comfort zones we usually sit in. Hence, I decided that discussion on all of that could be placed on the backburner. Today, now, and perhaps for many more months to come and even for the next visitor season and the next and the next, the challenge we may have to focus on and reckon with is perhaps the climate and the mayhem it has been creating all around us.

From Brazil to Australia to Sri Lanka, it has been low areas of atmospheric depression and torrential rainfall, causing floods, landslides, cyclones and whirlwinds. Just before that, there were winters in most of Europe and North America like they had seen never before. Life almost came to a standstill and much damage was caused all around. 

Right now, here in Sri Lanka, one third of our country covering 18 districts is affected by floods. A second round of it to be specific, and over 1.25 million of our brethren are affected. Nearly 2,300 houses have been completely destroyed and over 13,000 are partially damaged.

Some of our best areas of tourism operations in the heart of the Cultural Triangle are under water and the hill country is experiencing many landslides and earth-slips. The wildlife in these areas is under threat. Paddy fields are inundated everywhere in these areas, farms and vegetable cultivations are affected, homes destroyed, people transferred to shelters, roads washed away and the need for support and assistance is growing. 

Human and wildlife 

The damage is estimated to cost billions of rupees to the economy and the predictions from meteorological sources is not at all encouraging. The latest prediction stated that there would be even more rainfall and that it would continue to be so till May this year. 

While I sit, writing this from the Deep South, where usually at this time of year there is an abundance of sun and shine, the sky is gloomy and there was rain throughout the last few weeks. Predictions are that there will be more.

According to a report in a sister newspaper, the damage caused to our elephants is also substantial and I quote, “More than 72 wild elephants have been detected marooned in the flood affected areas in the Northern and Eastern Provinces,” Director General of Wildlife Conservation Department Chandrawansa Pathiraja said.

He added that 70 out of them were stranded in Manik Farm and Settikulam areas in Vavuniya. Two elephant calves have been detected in Singhapura area in Welikanda, and measures have already been taken to rescue those two, the Director General said.

Due to the rainfall during the last few days the lives of three elephant calves were lost, Wildlife Department sources said. Making an appeal, the Wildlife Department has requested people not to try anything to scare the elephants off as they would move back to their familiar grounds once the flood waters start subsiding.

Loss of resources

The real nature and impact of the rest of the damage to our natural systems will only be known later. In spite of this situation, most areas in the west, the south and the centre are having their tourism operations going on as usual without much disruption. Visitors to Sri Lanka can still enjoy most of its beauty and resources in spite of the flood situation that has impacted only some of the areas of the operation.

Defining moments

Yet, it is the conscience of the nation and of the tourism industry that we must awaken at this time of what is a national calamity. As an industry and as an immediate priority, there is a need for a huge response to support and assist those who are affected. All CSR efforts of the industry at this time can be diverted to immediate relief and thereafter for the rebuilding effort. 

True, the Government charges taxes and it is the prime responsibility of those who govern us to look after the needs of those in dire need. It is true that other friendly nations are assisting with food aid and material support. Yet, it is what we as an industry and as a community can and must do in response that matters.

Both Government and community should begin to practice austerity for there is a massive need for resources to be mobilised in the rehabilitation of affected areas. The State and private sector tamashas should end and true caring for those affected must be demonstrated through mobilisation of such saving.

That is in the least, for now, the immediate. For the longer term, such response will place us in good stead to take on what will be a long-term issue and challenge that will always impact on tourism – climate and the changes it is going through as a result of our wasteful ways and lifestyles – viewing it on a global sense.

It is certain that the tourism industry will be impacted by pandemics, floods, whirlwinds, cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes, sea-level rises, loss of species and the like. It has been in the past, but the intensity of occurrence of such now is what is new.

In all of this, the defining factor for our industry as a collective, as destinations and as individual operators will be how sensitively and responsibly we are able to deal with these much intensified challenges. That would essentially mean shunning short-term greed and gain to look at long-term benefit and wellbeing of all.

(Renton de Alwis is a former Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism serving two terms during 2000-2002 and from 2007-2008. He served as Head of the Asia Division of the Pacific Asia Travel Association(PATA) based in Singapore from 1990-96 and as CEO of the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore from 1997-99. He also served as a Chief Technical Advisor and consultant with the ADB, UNDP, UNWTO, ESCAP, UNICEF and the ILO. Now in retirement, Renton lives away from Colombo in the Deep South of Sri Lanka and is involved in writing and social activism. He can be contacted at [email protected].)