Cultural Tourism Potential in the Northwestern Province of Sri Lanka

Abstract

The Northwestern Province (NWP) of Sri Lanka has a rich cultural and agricultural diversity and is home to all three main ethnic groups as well as all four major religions practiced in the country. The province is largely known for its coconut related industries, besides the rice, vegetable, and fruit cultivations. Fisheries, animal husbandry, and industries, both traditional and modern, further enrich the diversity of the province. Ancient, medieval, and modern heritages showcase the prosperity of a bygone era. The remnants of Portuguese, Dutch, and British are proof to the past colonial rule. The culture in the province has evolved around natural, historical, economic and religious practices. The objective of this paper is to analyze the NWP cultural tourism potential for local and inbound tourists. Secondary data is mainly used for the analysis. Findings suggest that the NWP has a huge diverse, and versatile cultural resource base to meet the requirements of modern inbound and local tourists. Most of these resources are still untapped with regard to cultural tourism.