US dollar payments to be accepted at national parks from January

In a bid to increase the dollar earnings from the tourism sector, the government yesterday said measures have been taken to allow international visitors to pay in US dollars at national parks across the country.

The effort will be kicked off as a pilot project initially at the Yala National Park, the Wildlife and Agriculture Ministry said. Accordingly, the officials of the Wildlife and Forest Resources Ministry have been advised to do the needful to accept dollar payments.

The programme is set to roll out within January. The announcement came a month after the Yala National Park fetched a record-breaking revenue on November 30. In that month, the tourists visiting the country on a luxury cruise visited the Yala National Park, generating a revenue amounting to Rs.6.2 million in a single day.

Sri Lanka has a total of 26 national parks, which altogether cover 5,734km2. The island nation is home to the big four: Sri Lankan elephant, elusive leopard, sloth bear and 
blue whale.