Wildlife tourism is a fast-growing section of world tourism, extra so after COVID as many vacationers now search the pure outside atmosphere.

Sri Lanka has a lot to supply on this house, however we’re nonetheless “treading the identical previous cow path” selling the identical providing.

Present day vacationers are on the lookout for a extra immersive expertise and understanding of wildlife. Subsequently, there have to be a change to the strategy and message. A special narrative is required urgently to achieve out to this essential section.

Wildlife tourism

In keeping with the United Nations World Tourism Group (UNWTO), world wildlife tourism accounts for 7% of the world tourism business and is rising at an annual progress of about 3%. Wildlife tourism at the moment employs 22 million individuals worldwide straight or not directly and contributes greater than $120 billion to world GDP. Therefore it’s apparent that it kinds a primary element of world tourism sooner or later.  This may very well be bigger within the quick future, since put up pandemic vacationers are looking for out extra outside and nature-related immersive experiences throughout their travels. 

In Sri Lanka, that is additionally a quickly rising section, the place near 50% of all vacationers visiting the nation made at the least one go to to a wildlife park in 2018 (by far the perfect 12 months for tourism in Sri Lanka). This was a marked improve from some 20% in 2015.

As well as, park entrance charges, enhanced revenues from vacationers staying in lodges within the neighborhood, and peripheral earnings by safari jeep drivers herald a really giant income for the state, personal sector, and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

In 2018, the earnings from simply 3 of the most well-liked wildlife parks was a staggering Rs 11 B (USD 72 M) at 2018 alternate charges.

So there isn’t any query that wildlife tourism needs to be an integral section of Sri Lanka’s tourism providing.

Advertising and marketing Sri Lanka Wildlife to the world

Regardless of the significance of this section for tourism as proven within the forgoing, tourism entrepreneurs nonetheless proceed their previous methods of promoting wildlife tourism. Operators are nonetheless treading the acquainted cow path, providing vacationers standardized safari excursions maybe only for them to have the ability to see a number of charismatic species within the wild. When a possible vacationer calls a resort or a journey company to inquire in regards to the wildlife sights in Sri Lanka, most frequently the gross sales employees simply provides an itinerary and mentions the animals that may very well be noticed there.

In in the present day’s context, what is required is colourful tales about wildlife in Sri Lanka with a humane experiential contact. Tales have to be woven across the many the charismatic wildlife animals and the intimate wildlife experiences in Sri Lanka.

Briefly, a very completely different narrative is required to boost the wildlife tourism providing. 

Over time, I’ve been presenting many tales about wild animal people and incidents and few are given under.

Charismatic People

Rambo the Elephant at Uda Walawe Wildlife Park

This mature male elephant has been patrolling the Uda Walawe reservoir bund for greater than a decade, contained in the protecting electrical fence barrier, attracting passers-by. He has grow to be fairly a star and is maybe probably the most photographed wild elephants on this a part of the world.

I’ve interacted with this animal throughout my work at Uda Walawe Park and written extensively about his antics.

A google seek for “Rambo elephant” returned about 2,750,000 outcomes (0.41 seconds). In fact simply “Rambo” alone won’t work as a result of Sylvester Stallone will dominate the house!

Natta the leopard ‘king’ of Wilpattu

Natta is an efficient wholesome mature however  omewhat elusive specimen of a male leopard who’s the resident “king” at Wilpattu Nationwide Park. He’s probably the most wanted for photograph alternatives, which he gladly obliges to if he’s within the temper. He derives his identify “Natta” which suggests a “tail” in Singhalese since his tail is barely damaged on the tip, probably on account of a combat with one other leopard throughout his youthful days in establishing his dominance. A google seek for “Natta leopard” resulted in 707,000 outcomes (0.36 seconds).

Sumedha the “king” of Uda Walawe

A mature tusked elephant who frequents the park periodically through the months of June to October often, Sumedha is undisputedly on the prime of the hierarchy within the park after the demise of the previous dominant male “Walawe Raja.” Different males within the park are cautious of him and  give him a large berth. He has a really distinguishing and distinguished tennis ball-sized gap in his proper ear and a damaged tail. A google seek for “Sumedha elephant” gave 376,000 outcomes (0.56 seconds).

I’ve extracted their “antics” and constructed characters round them. And I don’t apologize for “humanizing” them. That’s what makes it all of the extra attention-grabbing to individuals.

Whereas tales could be constructed round animal characters, uncommon wildlife encounters may also be publicized in a beautiful method.

You want to “spin the story” and provides it that little “salt and pepper” to make it extra attention-grabbing. Once more listed below are a few of my examples.

Wildlife tales

Rambo goes on a “stroll about”

Some years in the past, there was concern when Rambo (whom I referred to earlier) all of a sudden went lacking for a number of months from his typical hang-out of the bund of the reservoir. After a search, he was discovered fairly  contentedly cohabiting with feminine elephants contained in the park. He was in musth, a periodic manifestation in male elephants the place their testosterone ranges rocket to excessive ranges, indicated by a thick viscous discharge from its temporal glands, and it results in heightened sexual exercise. I gave the story a twist by writing “Rambo disappears, discovered going for an amorous walk-about.”