Protect unique ecosystem while promoting tourism: UNDP

National Institute of Fundamental Studies Senior Prof. Siril Wjesundara introduces tourism sector stakeholders to Dambulla Popham Arboretum

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri this week reiterated the need for Sri Lanka to protect its unique ecosystem while promoting the tourism sector, as it is a crucial factor towards achieving economic recovery.

To ensure the island nation is on track in its sustainability and conservation efforts, the agency rolled out this week an awareness programme for the stakeholders of the tourism industry.

The programme was carried out by the Environment Ministry, EU in Sri Lanka and UNDP Sri Lanka, with the aim of ensuring the stakeholders are equipped with the necessary expertise to ensure the operations in the sector are carried out with minimal impact to the environment.

The objective of the project is to allow tour guides and tour operators to take into account the aspects of biodiversity conservation and livelihood management when catering to the foreign exchange earning sector.
The initiative is part of the Transforming Tourism in Sri Lanka project. A key expected outcome of this initiative is to strengthen the tourism policy framework and institutional capacity at national level, providing vital policy direction to rebuild, recover and trigger transformational change for more sustainable and inclusive tourism in the island.

 “To have sustainable eco-tourism we must include local communities in the value chain and promote the conservation of the environment,” UNDP Sri Lanka Deputy Resident Representative Malin Herwig said, addressing the event virtually.

Coming in as resource persons for the awareness programme were National Institute of Fundamental Studies Senior Prof. Siril Wjesundara and Sabragamua University Tourism Management Department Senior Lecturer Dr. M.S.M. Aslam.

The resource persons introduced the attendees to Popham Arboretum, which is situated in Dambulla and is Sri Lanka’s only dry zone arboretum and responsible eco-tourism.