Abstract:
Despite its global renown for Buddhist heritage, Anuradhapura's potential as a
meditation and spiritual tourism destination remains underexplored. A significant
empirical gap exists regarding its requisite infrastructure, strategic branding,
sustainable development, and competitive positioning within this niche market. This
study assesses the current status and prospects of meditation tourism in Anuradhapura
by examining destination attractiveness, available facilities, and support structures,
while proposing strategies to reposition the city as a leading hub for spiritual
meditation. This qualitative case study employed an inductive approach, using
interviews, focus groups, and participant observation with 25 diverse stakeholders,
including religious leaders, community members, pilgrims, tourists, meditation
practitioners, service providers, and government officials. Thematic analysis was
employed to identify strengths, challenges, and opportunities. Findings reveal that the
city's spiritual ambience, Buddhist heritage, and serene environment primarily attract
Western tourists, who report high satisfaction derived from the tranquillity,
hospitality, and opportunities for spiritual engagement. Meditation centres,
accommodation, vegetarian food options, guided tours, and transport facilities
enhanced their experiences. However, challenges persist, including inadequate
infrastructure, accessibility issues, waste management, sanitation problems, and
limited government and community involvement. To strengthen competitiveness, the
study emphasises learning from successful international models, improving
marketing strategies, preserving cultural integrity, and upgrading infrastructure and
visitor services. Spiritual tourism holds significant potential to support the local
economy, create jobs, and foster entrepreneurship. This study contributes to the
growing literature on sustainable and spiritual tourism, offering recommendations for
policymakers, and stakeholders to balance heritage conservation with tourism-driven
development.
