Tourism potential in Ella
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Tourists in Ella
Around 2001 when I visited Ella it was a sleepy village in the Badulla District best known as a convenient way stop for a few travellers on the way to Kataragama and beyond. Ella is about 14km northeast of Bandarawela that has been better known as a holiday town.
When I visited Ella earlier this month after a lapse of almost 14 years I found an Ella that has been transformed into a bustling tourist town, a kind of mini Hikkaduwa. It is a classic market-driven development that, on balance, appears to have been good for almost all concerned. The local business community as well as some who have moved in from outside have invested in restaurants, guesthouses, spas, beauty parlours and other tourism related businesses. Tourism is providing jobs to many.
The railway is doing well in transporting tourists. The Ella Pradesheeya Sabha should be earning more tax revenue. The country is earning foreign exchange.The foreign tourists, mostly in the younger age group who are interested in mountaineering, trekking, rock climbing and other outdoor pursuits, have found Ella an attractive destination. It is by and large a win-win situation for all concerned.
Scope for Improvement
The purpose of writing this letter is to point out some development work that official agencies ranging from the Central Government (Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lanka Railways , Road Development Authority et al), Uva Provincial Council, and Ella Pradesheeya Sabha could do in cooperation with the local business community, civil society and others to further boost the Ella tourist industry. It should be a well-coordinated effort. The plan of action should be based on hard data.
Some information already exists. For example, the Railway has data on passengers. The Uva PC and the Pradesheeya Sabha will have a data on businesses and taxes. I found in a few seconds from the Internet that “Booking.com” has listed 129 places in Ella where visitors could stay.
Assuming an average capacity of five double rooms per facility Ella is currently able to accommodate about 1,000 visitors per night. Data gaps for a sound development plan could be filled with the assistance of Uva University that can be provided some resources to conduct a survey of tourism, environment and other tourism/development issues in Ella.
Devolution is more meaningful to local communities when they are involved in local development. Ella Tourism development can be institutionalised with a body that could be established with the participation of all the main stakeholders including the local trade chamber known as the Ella Tourism and Trade Development Association (ETTDA).
Water Supply
A very positive recent development is the construction of a major water supply facility for Ella, Haliela and Badulla. The US Exim Bank has given a 12-year loan of $64.9 million (Rs. 8.5 billion) for the facility. A massive storage tank is under construction close to the Ella town to supply water to the area.
Priority needs
As a casual observer I noticed a few things that official agencies could do to improve Ella as a tourist destination. The main road (A23) that runs through the town is under repair/rehabilitation. The RDA should finish the job as soon as possible. The byroads and lanes in the town need repair. The approach road to the railway station must be widened and the vehicle park at the station should be improved. The storm water drainage and the sewerage system in the town also need attention. Adequate street lighting on the main road and byroads are a must, especially to make the visitors feel safer. The main passenger trains that serve Ella are the Colombo/Kandy-Badulla trains.
The local passenger trains are a few poorly maintained carriages attached to freight trains. One such train I took from Iddalgashinna to Ella that runs along a breath-taking scenic 34 km section of the rail line was late by almost two hours and was also overcrowded with about half locals and half tourists. The CGR should consider the viability of having a modern railcar running on a regular timetable to serve both locals and visitors.
Solid waste disposal
One of the most pressing issues that must be addressed is solid waste disposal. There is a so called garbage “recycling” centre maintained by the Ella PS less than half a km from the town. The facility poses a serious public health and environmental hazard, and threatens to undermine the tourist industry. First, it lacks the capacity to deal with the increasing volume of garbage that the town produces. Second, Ella residents say that there are days when the smell that emanates from the facility becomes unbearable in the whole area and the smoke that rises from burning garbage pollutes the entire town. The local trade chamber ETTDA and the people of Ella have been agitating since 2010 to persuade the Ella PS and higher authorities to relocate the garbage disposal facility but to no avail.
Development model
The new government talks a lot about development. Ella offers a practical opportunity to do development with a modest amount of financial resources combined with creativity and poltical will. It can serve as a useful model for similar development efforts elsewhere.
Local traveller