Yala incidents to be addressed

*Hoteliers see rise in arrivals

*Post-Covid recovery for tourism sector will be faster than expected

The recent incidents at the Yala National Park, which drew wide publicity on social media, will be addressed, Sri Lanka Tourism said.

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairperson Kimarli Fernando told Daily Mirror on the sidelines of an event in Colombo yesterday, that social media had drawn attention to a number of incidents in Yala.

She said that the SLTDA has been aware of over visitation and other issues in Yala.

Safari jeeps surrounding elephants and some animals attacking jeeps are a few of the incidents which drew strong reactions on social media in the recent past.

Fernando said that social media put these issues in the spotlight and action will be taken to address them.

Fernando was speaking on the sidelines of the ‘One Island Thousand Treasures’ destination promotion campaign launched by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts.

Fernando said that Sri Lanka has seen a rapid rise in tourist arrivals so far this year, and she expects the numbers to increase further.

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka has seen a rise following the relaxation of travel restrictions locally and globally, Dileep Mudadeniya, Vice President Marketing and Events at Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts said at the launch event.

He said that there is a renewed demand for Sri Lanka by travellers and so hoteliers are happy.

Mudadeniya said that they hope the post-Covid recovery for the tourism sector will be faster than expected.

The ‘One Island Thousand Treasures’ promotion campaign will unveil the unknown stories behind Sri Lanka and paint a unique picture of culturally relevant stories just waiting to be explored by the world. Cinnamon aims to play a proactive role to entice global travellers to experience Sri Lanka by showcasing the nation’s unique places, people and experiences beyond the usual sites and excursions.

These stories will be promoted via digital platforms to engage an international audience through social media and programmatic digital marketing, to encourage travellers to visit and experience Sri Lanka. (Easwaran Rutnam)