Cyclone Ditwah Update: Supporting Sri Lanka's Tourism Recovery
- Chathura Jayatissa
- Dec 10, 2025
- 4 min read
INSPIRE TRAVELS NEWS LETTER - Dec 2025
Season's Greetings from Inspire Travels
Dear Friends and Partners,
As we approach the end of 2025, the team at Inspire Travels wants to extend our warmest wishes to you and your communities for a joyful Christmas season and a prosperous New Year. Your continued partnership and support mean the world to us, and we are deeply grateful for the connections we share with schools and organizations around the globe.
As you may know, Inspire Travels has a close connection to Sri Lanka, with our business originating from there in 2010. While we work globally now, Sri Lanka is always very close to our hearts, and most of our team is still based out of Sri Lanka. This year has brought significant challenges to our home country, and we write to you today to share an important update about the current situation and how the global community can support Sri Lanka's recovery.
Cyclone Ditwah 2025: An Unprecedented Disaster
In late November 2024, Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka with devastating force. Many of you will remember the extraordinary support you provided in 2004 when the Indian Ocean tsunami hit our shores, and we know that comparison is on your minds. While the tsunami tragically claimed more lives and received extensive international news coverage, we must share with you that Cyclone Ditwah represents the worst disaster Sri Lanka has experienced in this generation in terms of economic impact and widespread devastation.
Understanding the Scale of Sri Lanka Floods and Rebuilding Needs
The numbers tell a sobering story:
Economic Impact: Estimated losses of $6-7 billion USD – more than three times the economic damage caused by the 2004 tsunami ($1.5-2 billion USD). This represents approximately 3.5-7% of Sri Lanka's GDP.
People Affected: 2.3 million people directly exposed to cyclone-driven flooding, with over 480 lives lost and hundreds still missing.
Infrastructure Damage: Nearly 720,000 buildings exposed to flooding, including 243 hospitals and hundreds of schools. Over 1,200 landslides triggered in highland districts.
Critical Industries: Tea plantations – our nation's second-largest export sector – face output declines of up to 35%. Agricultural lands, essential for food security, have been severely impacted.
What makes this cyclone particularly devastating is that it formed unusually close to the equator, lingered off our coast for an extended period rather than moving quickly inland, and struck a nation already recovering from our worst economic crisis in decades. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has called it "the largest and most challenging natural disaster" in Sri Lanka's history.
Supporting Sri Lanka's Tourism Recovery
The Inspire Travels team is actively working with our partners and team members on the ground to assess the situation and determine where we can be most impactful. The level of devastation is so extensive that we are still evaluating the best course of action to ensure any support efforts will make a meaningful difference.
I will be in touch with you in the New Year to share our findings and let you know where we believe we can have the greatest impact. At that time, I hope to ask for your support in helping Sri Lanka recover and rebuild.
How Tourism Supports Local Communities and Recovery
One meaningful way to support Sri Lanka cyclone relief is through continued tourism, which is a vital source of income for local communities. While the damage to infrastructure in some regions is significant, most popular tourist areas were not affected and remain welcoming destinations. For schools considering group travel and school tours Sri Lanka, including sports tours, educational trips, or other group activities for travel to Sri Lanka 2026, the country continues to offer rich experiences without disruption. Tourism revenue directly supports the livelihoods of countless families and helps strengthen the economy during this recovery period.
Despite these challenges, the spirit of the resilient Sri Lankan people remains strong. We have faced adversity before, and with the support of friends like you around the world, we will rebuild and emerge stronger. Your past support during the 2004 tsunami demonstrated the incredible power of international solidarity, and we are humbled by the relationships we've built over the years through our travel partnerships and global schools network.
Thank you for taking the time to read this update. We wish you and your communities peace, health, and happiness this holiday season and throughout the coming year.
With warm regards and gratitude,
Chathura Jayatissa
CEO The Inspire Travels
References & Further Reading
For those interested in learning more about Cyclone Ditwah's impact and ongoing response efforts, we recommend these official sources:
1. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
"One-fifth of Sri Lanka inundated by cyclone Ditwah, UNDP analysis"
2. UN News
"Cyclone Ditwah brings worst flooding in decades to Sri Lanka, killing hundreds"
3. World Health Organization (WHO)
"Sri Lanka Floods and landslides – Cyclonic storm Ditwah November 2025"
4. International Organization for Migration (IOM)
"IOM Mobilizes Emergency Response as Cyclone Ditwah Displaces 209K People"
About Inspire Travels
Inspire Travels specializes in educational travel, group travel and school tours, sports tours, and responsible travel experiences worldwide, with deep roots in Sri Lanka since 2010. We are committed to sustainable tourism practices that support local communities and create meaningful cultural exchanges for students and travelers.
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