“No educational component in marine tourism,” says Marine Biologist, Asha De Vos
View(s):By Raj Moorthy
While Sri Lanka is well-known as a priority tourist destination for whale watching, the country is now catering to check box tourists (ticking off places they visit). Tourists visit Sri Lanka to witness whales and take pictures but end up disappointed with no whales in sight. Tour operators advertise and market the destination to bring more tourists by giving false promises without knowing the seasons when whales can be spotted.
Marine Biologist, Asha De Vos expressed her frustration on tourists harassing wildlife and marine species during an event held last week. Asian Development Bank organised its 10th serendipity knowledge programme on the title ‘Tourism and Biodiversity Conservation’ at the Shangri-La Hotel in Colombo.
Ms. Asha stressed, “There is a huge communication and marketing problem when advertising a tourist destination. Sri Lanka needs to have trained people across the world with a unified message to elaborate about what the country offers. People in Sri Lanka advertise destinations to bring more tourists. That is where the country is losing on repeat travellers when the experience is bad.”
“As a nation the tourism industry must have the courage to say what we stand for. The industry must not endorse activities that harass wildlife animals that belong to this country. It looks as if tourists (seem to think they) own what we have in our country,” she added.
She also mentioned that the country needs to build spaces that are well thought of and have ripple effects in the community. “The ecological footprint of tourists coming into Sri Lanka is massive. Now we are catering to check box tourists. There is no educational component in marine tourism. Tourists come to Sri Lanka to take pictures with whales. There are seasons to spot whales in the ocean whereas tour operators advertise guaranteeing blue whale watching and the tourists get disappointed when they don’t spot them. The industry must stop expanding and inculcating false promises to tourists,” she noted.
Hitad.lk has you covered with quality used or brand new cars for sale that are budget friendly yet reliable! Now is the time to sell your old ride for something more attractive to today's modern automotive market demands. Browse through our selection of affordable options now on Hitad.lk before deciding on what will work best for you!