Wednesday Dec 10, 2025
Wednesday Dec 10, 2025
Wednesday, 10 December 2025 03:09 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Intrepid Travel Asia Australia Managing Director Natalie Kidd - Pic by Ruwan Walpola
By Charumini de Silva
Intrepid Travel Asia–Australia Managing Director Natalie Kidd said Sri Lanka must urgently decide the kind of tourism future it wants and embed strong systems of sustainable destination management if it is to protect its natural assets, strengthen competitiveness and fully capitalise on rising global demand.
Kidd, who leads operations for the world’s largest adventure travel company across over 120 destinations, said Sri Lanka already possesses “remarkable natural, cultural and human advantages” that are driving rapid growth for Intrepid.
Delivering the keynote during the ‘Tourism - How can we finally market Sri Lanka as a tourist destination?’ session of the Sri Lanka Economic Summit organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce last week, she noted that Sri Lanka broke into the company’s global top 10 destinations for the first time in 2024, with arrivals doubling that year and growing a further 50% each in 2025 and 2026.
“Sri Lanka has a diversity of attractions; beautiful landscapes, rich culture and iconic biodiversity and most importantly, warm and welcoming people. With peace and stability, Sri Lanka has much to offer. But now is the time to determine what future Sri Lanka wants for tourism and to learn from examples around the world,” she said.
Kidd stressed that tourism’s global footprint makes responsible practices essential. With one in 10 workers worldwide earning a livelihood from tourism, she said the industry, when well-managed, can preserve heritage, conserve biodiversity, distribute wealth and foster “people-to-people diplomacy” in an increasingly polarised world.
But she warned that these benefits “do not just happen” and can be quickly reversed when volumes exceed capacity.
Citing global data, she noted that tourism accounts for over 10% of global carbon emissions, while rising anti-tourism protests from Europe to Japan and Indonesia are a reminder of the consequences of unmanaged visitor flows, disrespectful behaviour and infrastructure being diverted away from local needs.
“These are warning signs that Sri Lanka must learn from,” she said, adding that strategic tourism planning and destination management are needed to determine appropriate carrying capacities, prioritise quality over unchecked volume and ensure both economic and experiential value.
She said Sri Lanka’s wide product diversity; beaches, culture, wildlife, outdoor adventure and wellness should be seen as a competitive strength, not a branding dilemma.
The variety “has something for everyone,” she said, noting that it enables year-round offerings, geographic dispersal and higher-value segments such as food tourism, family travel and premium experiences.
Emerging global travel trends, she said, further strengthen Sri Lanka’s position. “Safety and security remain the top consideration, affordability is second, and the third is sustainability,” she explained, citing Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) data showing travellers are actively avoiding overcrowded destinations and preferring shoulder seasons, alternative cities and authentic cultural experiences.
She said Intrepid’s own research shows that 74% of its customers want meaningful community connections, something Sri Lanka can offer effortlessly.
However, Kidd cautioned that sustainability expectations are now shaping competitiveness. She pointed to data from Europe showing that a third of travellers may change destinations if sustainability standards are lacking. Countries like Türkey and Singapore have adopted Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) criteria nationally, while investors increasingly require sustainability credentials to unlock grants, concessional financing and technical support.
She stressed that protecting Sri Lanka’s natural and cultural assets, its biodiversity, heritage sites and local traditions must be “non-negotiable”.
“If these are degraded, the industry will suffer long term,” she warned, raising concerns about waste, water management, ethical wildlife tourism and the strain on historic sites. “If the answer to any of these questions is no, it will impact the experience of travellers and the reputation of the destination,” she pointed out.
Kidd also highlighted the need for greater community inclusion, particularly for women who make most global travel decisions yet occupy less than 10% of visible industry roles in Sri Lanka, and only about 3% of guiding positions.
“Women have incredible stories to tell,” she said, noting that tourism involvement expands economic benefits across families and communities.
She said Intrepid has used partnerships to model how sustainability, community empowerment and tourism growth can reinforce each other. Through the Intrepid Foundation, the company works with Zero Plastic Movement to tackle waste and advocate regulatory reform. It also integrates electric vehicles into its supply chain to reduce emissions and partners with the Market Development Facility (MDF) Australia on women-focused training programs.
“These are examples of how we strive to create positive change through the joy of travel and sustain the destinations that are so important to us,” she said.
Kidd said to a top panel which featured Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam that the time is here to “not only plan for the future, but start implementing practical steps.”
“The Government must guide the direction through regulation and support, while public–private collaboration makes it work. If strong destination management is created as the foundation, marketing becomes clear and value-driven, attracting travellers who will respect and contribute to Sri Lanka,” she said.
“Let’s ensure that this island paradise delivers on its promise, by protecting what makes it special and delivering tourism that benefits both the traveller and the people of Sri Lanka,” Kidd stressed.
