Competitiveness of Kandy City as a Heritage Tourist Destination in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The City of Kandy is well known all around the world due to it world heritage sties. Therefore, it has become a renowned tourist destination in Sri Lanka. However, it needs sustainable image to position the city as a heritage tourist destination. It is also necessary to construct a sustainable heritage destination marketing model which will enable to enhance and sustain destination competitiveness of the City of Kandy. In order to create a successful destination marketing model, this study attempted to identify key factors of distinctive destination points that determine Kandy city as a distinctive tourism destination point. Primary data was collected through a questionnaire survey using a sample of 108 tourists considering the tourists in the city during the research period as the population. The study reveals that tourists are highly considering the destination management. Additionally, “resources” and “attractions of the city” and “level of safety and security” are seriously considered factors.