Ahangama in agony

Wednesday, 19 August 2026 05:24 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Ahangama’s tourism landscape is being disrupted as several popular establishments, including Gelato ice cream, Crust, Marshmallows, Ceylon Sliders, Uncle’s and Cactus, are demolished as unauthorised structures. These properties helped turn the southern coastal town into a sought-after tourism destination, attracting both foreign visitors and domestic travellers and supporting the wider local visitor economy. While the enforcement of the law is welcomed, tourism industry stakeholders and others warn that the manner and scale of the removals risk eroding the distinctive appeal that helped put Ahangama on the tourism map. They argue that enforcement needs to be accompanied by a broader plan that protects the destination’s tourism value, investment and livelihoods.