Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

An evaluation of rural tourism and its impacts on rural livelihoods: a case study of Sigiriya Tourist Region in Sri Lanka

Gamachchige, Godagama Pradeep Nandana LU (2025) MIDM19 20251
Department of Human Geography
LUMID International Master programme in applied International Development and Management
Abstract
This study investigates the impacts of rural tourism on the livelihoods of communities in the Sigiriya region of Sri Lanka, a UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for its cultural and natural heritage. Adopting a qualitative case study approach, it integrates the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF) and Dependency Theory to examine both the developmental opportunities and structural constraints shaped by tourism. The findings indicate that tourism has contributed to livelihood diversification through homestays, guiding, transport services, and handicrafts, while enhancing skills in customer service, foreign languages, and digital competencies. It has also stimulated the revival of cultural traditions, strengthened social cohesion, and... (More)
This study investigates the impacts of rural tourism on the livelihoods of communities in the Sigiriya region of Sri Lanka, a UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for its cultural and natural heritage. Adopting a qualitative case study approach, it integrates the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF) and Dependency Theory to examine both the developmental opportunities and structural constraints shaped by tourism. The findings indicate that tourism has contributed to livelihood diversification through homestays, guiding, transport services, and handicrafts, while enhancing skills in customer service, foreign languages, and digital competencies. It has also stimulated the revival of cultural traditions, strengthened social cohesion, and fostered environmental awareness. Nevertheless, benefits are unevenly distributed, with limited participation among households lacking capital, land, or social influence. Key challenges include environmental degradation, cultural commodification, and overreliance on external tour operators, which spreads dependency and limits local agency. The SLF underscores community strengths and adaptive capacities, while Dependency Theory reveals systemic inequalities within tourism value chains. To ensure more equitable and sustainable outcomes, the study recommends promoting community-based tourism, ensuring fair access to financial and training resources, and embedding local participation in governance processes. The research concludes that rural tourism’s potential is maximised only when it is inclusively managed and environmentally responsible. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Gamachchige, Godagama Pradeep Nandana LU
supervisor
organization
course
MIDM19 20251
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Rural tourism, Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF), Dependency Theory, Sigiriya, livelihood diversification, cultural heritage, environmental sustainability, tourism governance, Sri Lanka
language
English
id
9211243
date added to LUP
2025-10-14 15:48:23
date last changed
2025-10-14 15:48:23
@misc{9211243,
  abstract     = {{This study investigates the impacts of rural tourism on the livelihoods of communities in the Sigiriya region of Sri Lanka, a UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for its cultural and natural heritage. Adopting a qualitative case study approach, it integrates the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF) and Dependency Theory to examine both the developmental opportunities and structural constraints shaped by tourism. The findings indicate that tourism has contributed to livelihood diversification through homestays, guiding, transport services, and handicrafts, while enhancing skills in customer service, foreign languages, and digital competencies. It has also stimulated the revival of cultural traditions, strengthened social cohesion, and fostered environmental awareness. Nevertheless, benefits are unevenly distributed, with limited participation among households lacking capital, land, or social influence. Key challenges include environmental degradation, cultural commodification, and overreliance on external tour operators, which spreads dependency and limits local agency. The SLF underscores community strengths and adaptive capacities, while Dependency Theory reveals systemic inequalities within tourism value chains. To ensure more equitable and sustainable outcomes, the study recommends promoting community-based tourism, ensuring fair access to financial and training resources, and embedding local participation in governance processes. The research concludes that rural tourism’s potential is maximised only when it is inclusively managed and environmentally responsible.}},
  author       = {{Gamachchige, Godagama Pradeep Nandana}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{An evaluation of rural tourism and its impacts on rural livelihoods: a case study of Sigiriya Tourist Region in Sri Lanka}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}