The 30 year war between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) had a considerable impact onthe country‟s tourism industry. Yet, despite
the war, the industry continued to exhibit a high level of resilience and since the end of
thewar international visitation has increased rapidly. This study, using a comprehensive
review of literature and a series of interviews, examines the impact of the war on the
industry as well as the government‟s post-conflict responses. Despite the rapid
increase in international tourism numbers various concerns have been raised that
government policies are likely to advantage large tourism operators and developers at
the expense of small businesses in the informal sector. The development of the
industry may also be at the expense of livelihoods of poorer members of society in
other industries. A concentration on large-scale developments may reduce the
resilience and therefore sustainability of the industry.