Sri Lanka, Sept. 20 -- While tourism remained challenged during Sri Lanka's battle against terrorism, peace time allowed us to flourish again as a South Asian economic hub with tourism at its helm. While there was an increase in foreign direct investment, infrastructure, and an overall boom in development, the tourism industry seemed to lack innovation and re-engineering despite a noteworthy rise in inflow. We can safely say that the tourism industry has remained in the mindset of quantity over quality.

When President Gotabaya Rajapaksa took the helm, his vision was specific and detailed. He took charge with a comprehensive plan to invigorate the tourism industry, gearing it to play a leading role in the country's economic growth. In the...