Is an island in the Indian Ocean

In the twelfth century, the explorer Marco Polo wrote that Sri Lanka was the finest island in the whole world. For centuries it had been a tourism destination, particularly for European travelers. Recently, the Sri Lankan Civil War that spanned over 25 years and ended in 2009 has had a negative impact on tourism and the growth of the industry stagnated, however following this era a resurgence in Sri Lanka as a tourist destination has been evident. In 2012, post office worldwide holiday costs barometer named Sri Lanka as the best valued destination for holidays.^[1] Value Proposition[edit]

The advantage of Sri Lanka as a tourism destination is threefold. Firstly it is an authentic tourism destination. Secondly it is a compact island of 65,610 sqkm where a tourist can travel the length and breadth of the country within a few days, thirdly the diversity of the tourism product is unparalleled.

However due to a number of policies of the Sri Lankan Government, international tourists that are not dual citizens of Sri Lanka or hold a Sri Lankan National Identity card are penalized when travelling to Sri Lanka - this includes but is not limited to artificially inflated prices for accommodation and tourist attractions that are in some cases an order of magnitude more expensive for tourists, indeed some attractions are free if proof of nationality is provided.

For the simplicity of communicating the diversity of Sri Lanka in 2010 the tourism authorities started positioning the country around 8 different products namely; beaches, heritage, wildlife, scenic beauty, mind and body wellness, festivals, sports and adventure and Essence. The Essence of Sri Lanka include what is unique to the country such as itspeople, art and culture, spices, tea, gems, handy crafts etc.