Exploring the Potentials, Issues, and Challenges in Developing Buddhist Tourism in Sri Lanka Authors Samantha, W.S. Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka Shehara, J.A.D.S Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka DOI: https://doi.org/10.64383/irjss.02250202 Keywords: Buddhist Tourism, Cultural Heritage, Development Abstract Over the years, the tourism industry has continually expanded and changed, making it one of the fastest-growing economic sectors in the world. With a millennium of history, Sri Lanka has been the global leader of Theravada Buddhism. There is a connection between religious tourism and cultural and heritage tourism. However, Sri Lankan religious and cultural tourism receives little attention. The current study was conducted with an eye toward tourism and culture administrative authorities, tourist service providers, and monastery Bhikkus in Sri Lanka because there aren't many studies available about Buddhist tourism growth potentials in Sri Lanka. By analyzing the opportunities, problems, and obstacles in the development of Buddhist tourism in Sri Lanka, this research seeks to close the gap. Convenience sampling was the method of choice for the semi-structured in-depth interviews that comprised the study, which was carried out utilizing a qualitative research strategy. Primary data were gathered in Sri Lanka from Bhikkus monasteries, tourist and cultural administration entities, and tourism service providers. The data was examined using thematic analysis. Promoting concrete and intangible Buddhist resources, increasing brand awareness, developing Buddhist hotspots, and developing experience-based tourism activities are the study's main conclusions. The primary problems and difficulties identified by analysis include a deficiency in language proficiency, a qualified academic staff, issues about the government, and an inadequate understanding of marketing techniques. Providing language training programs and processes that are appropriate for trainers, encouraging comprehensive marketing efforts in collaboration with key institutions to attract the right clientele, and proper government involvement were identified as the study's immediate strategies to boost Sri Lanka's rich Buddhist heritage and draw more tourists and boost the country's economy. Policymakers and other stakeholders may create strategic efforts to support sustainable Buddhist tourism with the aid of the insights gained from this study. Author Biographies Samantha, W.S., Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka Department of Tourism Management, Faculty of Management Studies Shehara, J.A.D.S, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka Department of Tourism Management, Faculty of Management Studies References [1] "Buddhist and Cultural Tourism in Sri Lanka," 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/srilanka/travel-guide/buddhism-and-cultural-tourism-in-sri-lanka. [2] SLTDA, "SLTDA Annual Statistical Report," 2019. [3] H. L. H. L. W. J. W. J. L. J. L. J. J. Y. J. Y. L. X. L. X. Zhang Mu Zhang Mu szzm, "Religious tourism and cultural pilgrimage: a Chinese perspective.," 19 May 2022. [4] L. D. Renata Tomljenović, "Religious Tourism Froma Tourism Product to an Agent of Societal Transformation," Religious Tourism and the Contemporary Tourism Market, 2017. [5] "CIA World Factbook," Cental Intelligence Agency, 2020. [6] J. Perera, "Heritage Tourism," 01 09 2018. [Online]. Available: https://lmd.lk/heritage-tourism/. [7] Lakpura, "Cultural Triangle," 3 09 2021. [Online]. Available: https://lakpura.com/pages/cultural-triangle. [8] Jayasinghe, "Factors that Affecting to Develop Buddhist Tourism in Sri Lanka," International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development, vol. 04, no. 06, 2020. [9] Expedition, "Ceylon Expedition," 15 09 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.ceylonexpeditions.com/buddhistpilgrimage-tour-packages-sri-lanka-8-nights. [10] H. C. Madhu Agrawal, "Enhancing Buddhist tourism in India: An exploratory study," Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, pp. 477-493, 2010. [11] M. K. S. N. M. Margaret Jean Hart-Robertson, "Key Concepts in Tourist Studies," Religious and Spritual Tourism, December 2012. [12] M. T. E. &. M. H. S. Abdul Halim, "A review of spiritual tourism: a conceptual model for future reserarch," Tourism and Hospitality Management, pp. 119-141, 2021. [13] J. O. J. M. F. &. B. B. M. Ayorekire, "Oppotunities and Challenges of Religious Tourism Development in Uganda," International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, 2020. [14] Carr, "Managing Sacred Sites: Service Provision and Visitor Experience," Annals of Tourism Research, pp. 479-481, 2004. [15] S. N. M. Nolan, "Religious sites as tourism attractions in Europe," Annals of Tourism Research, 1992. [16] D. O. Dallen Timothy, Tourism, Religion and Spiritual Journeys, Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, 2006. [17] "Buddhist and Cultural Tourism in Sri Lanka," 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/srilanka/travel-guide/buddhism-and-cultural-tourism-in-sri-lanka. [18] T. Kartal, Büşra Kartal and Gülşah Uluay, "TECHNOLOGICAL PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLE-DGE SELF ASSESSMENT SCALE (TPACK- SAS) FOR PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS: DEVELOPMENT, VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY," International Journal Of Eurasia Social Sciences 7(23):1-36, 2016. [19] M. T. H. a. Burak Kartal, "Examining the religious tourism potential of Manisa, Turkey with a marketing perspective," vol. 70, pp. 214-231, July 2015. Downloads PDF Published 2025-02-07 How to Cite Samantha, W.S., & Shehara, J.A.D.S. (2025). Exploring the Potentials, Issues, and Challenges in Developing Buddhist Tourism in Sri Lanka. International Research Journal of Scientific Studies, 2(2), 8–30. https://doi.org/10.64383/irjss.02250202 More Citation Formats ACM ACS APA ABNT Chicago Harvard IEEE MLA Turabian Vancouver Download Citation Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS) BibTeX Issue Vol. 2 No. 2 (2025): February Section Research Papers Categories Tourism and Hospitality Management License Copyright (c) 2025 International Research Journal of Scientific Studies This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. International Research Journal of Scientific Studies is an open-access journal that publishes articles under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license allows for the widest possible dissemination and use of the articles, while ensuring that the authors receive proper credit for their work. Article Licensing 1. Copyright: After publication of article, Authors automatically grant copyright to International Research Journal of Scientific Studies to publish and distribute their work under the CC BY 4.0 license. 2. Attribution: Articles can be shared, adapted, and built upon, provided that the original work is properly cited. The citation must include the article's title, author(s), journal title, volume, issue, pages, and DOI (if applicable). 3. Reuse: Articles can be reused for non-commercial purposes, such as education, research, and personal use. This includes, but is not limited to, sharing articles on social media, academic networks, and personal websites. Permitted Uses 1. Sharing: Articles can be shared in digital or print format, provided that the original work is properly cited. 2. Adaptation: Articles can be adapted for use in lectures, presentations, and other educational materials, provided that the original work is properly cited. 3. Derivative Works: Articles can be used to create derivative works, such as translations, summaries, and reviews, provided that the original work is properly cited. 4. Text and Data Mining: Articles can be used for text and data mining purposes, provided that the original work is properly cited. Restrictions 1. Commercial Use: Articles cannot be used for commercial purposes, such as selling or licensing the content, without the prior consent of the author(s) and International Research Journal of Scientific Studies. 2. Modification: Articles cannot be modified in a way that misrepresents the original work or its authors. 3. Removal of DOI: The DOI (Digital Object Identifier) assigned to the article cannot be removed or altered. Author Responsibilities 1. Originality: Authors must ensure that their work is original and does not infringe on the copyright or other rights of third parties. 2. Permissions: Authors must obtain the necessary permissions and licenses to use any copyrighted materials, such as images, tables, or figures, in their articles. 3. Disclosure: Authors must disclose any conflicts of interest, funding sources, or other relevant information that may impact the interpretation of their work. Journal Responsibilities 1. Publication: International Research Journal of Scientific Studies will publish the articles in electronic format on its website and other platforms. 2. Indexing: International Research Journal of Scientific Studies will index the articles in relevant databases and repositories to ensure their discoverability and accessibility. 3. Archiving: International Research Journal of Scientific Studies will archive the articles in a secure and permanent repository to ensure their long-term preservation and availability. By submitting an article to International Research Journal of Scientific Studies, authors agree to these licensing terms and grant International Research Journal of Scientific Studies the right to publish and distribute their work under the CC BY 4.0 license.
