Sociocultural Fabric Research Articles

Perceptions of the Socio-Economic and Cultural Impact of Tourism in Sri Lanka

ABSTRACT The literature dealing with the socio-economic impact of tourism shows a great deal of concern about that impact in host countries whose per capita income and/or culture is very different from that of the foreign tourists. However, there is paucity of empirical studies dealing with the socio-cultural impact of tourism. To fill this gap, data were collected from both representatives of the Sri Lankan middle class and from tourists to understand their perceptions of the impact of international tourism on Sri Lanka. Results indicated that tourism was perceived to create economic prosperity, to have little impact on culture and tradition but to lead to some growth in vices such as prostitution. In general, it appeared that by taking a planned, gradualist approach to tourism development, the Sri lankan government had avoided the severe negative impact that tourism can have on a country's socio-cultural fabric. This containment was also attributed to a very rich history and tradition of the country whi...