Tuesday Sep 01, 2026
Tuesday Sep 01, 2026
Tuesday, 1 September 2026 03:46 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka is to receive a $ 1 million World Bank grant to prepare an 18-month project aimed at upgrading nature-based tourism destinations, as the Government seeks to address the weak growth in tourism revenue despite steadily rising visitor arrivals.
The Cabinet of Ministers last week approved accepting the grant, under the World Bank’s Grant Facility for Project Preparation (GFPP), to finance groundwork for the proposed Tourism for Heritage Resilience Inclusion and Value-driven Employment (THRIVE) – Nature project.
The proposed project is expected to focus on habitat improvement and tourism infrastructure development in nature-based destinations, while also strengthening programs developed under the World Bank-funded Ecosystem Conservation and Management Project.
The move comes against a broader concern that Sri Lanka’s tourism recovery has not yet translated into a commensurate increase in earnings. Although tourist arrivals have been gradually increasing, the Government has identified the low rate of tourism revenue growth as a particular concern in relation to the country’s substantial potential for nature-based tourism.
The preparation funding could therefore pave the way for a larger investment program focused on improving the quality and economic value of nature-based tourism, rather than relying primarily on increasing visitor volumes.
The proposed intervention is particularly significant given Sri Lanka’s extensive portfolio of national parks, forests, wetlands and other biodiversity-rich destinations, which remain central to the country’s positioning as a nature and adventure tourism destination.
By combining habitat conservation with infrastructure development, the THRIVE–Nature concept also seeks to address the longstanding challenge of balancing increased tourism activity with environmental sustainability.
The proposal to this effect was submitted by Environment Minister Dr. Dammika Patabendi.
