Comparative Destination Vulnerability Assessment for Thailand and Sri Lanka

This 2009 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute provides a comparative vulnerability assessment of six tourism destinations in Thailand and Sri Lanka following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the Sri Lankan civil conflict. It introduces a Destination Sustainability Framework (DSF) to analyze how exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive responses influence a destination's resilience to shocks and stressors.

• The 2004 tsunami caused severe economic and human loss in Thailand and Sri Lanka, with an estimated 8,212 deaths in Thailand and 35,000 in Sri Lanka. In Thailand, infrastructural losses were estimated at USD 341 million, while Sri Lanka faced projected output losses of US$130 million over the following two years.
• Destination resilience is significantly bolstered by diversified livelihood portfolios, strong destination branding, and access to liquid financial assets and established credit histories. Conversely, vulnerability is increased by high dependency on seasonal tourism, low insurance coverage, and limited financial credit options for micro and small enterprises.
• The speed of recovery varied by destination based on developmental history and physical impact. Patong Beach recovered rapidly due to its established financial position and strong brand, with tourist flows surpassing pre-tsunami levels by 4.4% by 2007. In contrast, Khao Lak's recovery was slower, with arrivals in 2008 remaining at less than half of pre-tsunami levels.
• Marginalized groups, particularly Burmese migrant workers in Thailand, faced extreme vulnerability due to precarious legal status, which prevented access to banking and humanitarian aid. Many were subject to police harassment and bribes, and their savings were often lost as they were kept in cash.
• Governance weaknesses, including corruption, lack of local capacity, and poor coordination between government departments, have hindered the implementation of development plans and the enforcement of building codes in both countries.
• In Sri Lanka, the civil conflict acted as a long-term 'crisis' that deterred international and domestic tourists in destinations like Anuradhapura and Katharagama, compounding the peripheral impacts of the tsunami.
• Environmental degradation, caused by inadequate wastewater and solid waste management, threatens the long-term viability of coastal destinations. In Phi Phi Don, the lack of centralized electricity, water, and waste services has increased costs and deterred the previous core backpacker market.
• The report proposes eight action points to build resilience, including strengthening institutional coordination through Destination Management Organisations (DMOs), improving accessibility to finance for SMEs, and implementing regular disaster preparedness training and maintenance of Early Warning Systems.

APA

Calgaro, E., & Cochrane, J. (2009). Comparative Destination Vulnerability Assessment for Thailand and Sri Lanka. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Sustainable-livelihoods/thailand sri lanka destination vulnerability assessment.pdf

Chicago

Calgaro, Emma, and Janet Cochrane. Comparative Destination Vulnerability Assessment for Thailand and Sri Lanka. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2009. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Sustainable-livelihoods/thailand sri lanka destination vulnerability assessment.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Calgaro |first1=Emma |last2=Cochrane |first2=Janet |title=Comparative Destination Vulnerability Assessment for Thailand and Sri Lanka |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=December 2009 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Sustainable-livelihoods/thailand sri lanka destination vulnerability assessment.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{calgaro2009comparative, author = {Calgaro, Emma and Cochrane, Janet}, title = {{Comparative Destination Vulnerability Assessment for Thailand and Sri Lanka}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2009}, month = dec, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Sustainable-livelihoods/thailand sri lanka destination vulnerability assessment.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }