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| Friday, 25 January 2002 |
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Beach touts to get better place in the sun by Tharika Goonathilake
The move comes in the wake of a large number of complaints made by tourists in beach areas especially in Beruwela, where around 700 beach touts operate. The Tourism Ministry hopes to work with local authorities to demarcate special areas and also allocate different products for beach touts to market without violating the privacy of tourists relaxing on the beach. "Moreover, each beach tout will be individually designated the products he is permitted to sell so that there is no conflict of interest," Tourism Minister Gamini Lokuge said. They will also be given special training which includes language sessions, trading skills and a special identity card to conduct their business activities in a more professional manner. "It is essential to address this issue given the negative impact it can create and has already created in some parts of the country. Of the total tourist arrivals around 60 per cent of the tourists visiting Sri Lanka belong to the sun, sea and sand category. We must ensure that they are not harassed while providing a permanent solution to the problem," Minister Lokuge said. The program which will kick off next month from Beruwela, a popular destination among the sun, sand and sea seekers, will be extended to other resort areas as well. A series of meetings with the respective local authorities have been planned to further strengthen this effort. "The beach tout problem has created a bad image. Some tourists are reluctant to go to the beach and have even lodged complaints with local authorities. This problem has aggravated since these beach touts lack a proper employment opportunity. All these matters will be addressed through this new program," the Minister said. According to him, this initiative is part of the Government's 100 days program. It will be extended to provide other additional and permanent livelihood options for these youth.
Wild, Wild, Wasgamuwa by Pravin Mendis
Unspoilt by the overcrowding of vehicles (Jeeps and vans) which throng Uda Walave and Yala on any given day, the Wasgamuwa Park offers more time for the wildlife enthusiast as well as more freedom for the birds and elephants to roam freely unencumbered by heavy traffic as opposed to the Uda Walawe or Yala National Parks.
The rainy season means a four wheel drive vehicle with preferably a winch, a must for all those who want to see all the activities in every nook and corner of Wasgamuwa. A night's stay at the Kadurupitiya or Mahaweli Bungalows will add more excitement to your stay there.
South Asia Regional Ecotourism conference This first ever regional conference of 'South Asia Regional Ecotourism Conference (SARCE) will be held in Sikkim, located at the foot of Himalayas, in India, from 21st to 25th January, 2002. The SARCE is hosted by the Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Sikkim (ECOSS) in collaboration with The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) and The Mountain Institute (TMI) and The Untied Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in its support of the UN-designated International Year of Ecotourism (IYE) in 2002. Palitha Gurusinghe, President, Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation (SLEF) left for Sikkim, India to attend South Asia Regional Conference on Ecotourism in Gangtok, Sikkim in India from 21st to 25th January, 2002. This conference is one of the six regional conferences mandated by the Untied Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) in ahead of International year of Ecotourism (IYE) declared by the Untied Nations Organisation (UNO) for the Year 2002. |
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Produced by Lake House |
The
Ministry of Tourism will shortly initiate a program to streamline the
activities of beach touts so that they would not be a harassment to
tourists in the coastal areas.
Being
the latest addition to the Nature Parks in the country, Wasgamuwa National
Park offers exciting adventures for the nature lover.
These
pictures taken during our trip to the Wasgamuwa Park are ample proof of
the adventurous terrain which one has to encounter on a visit inside the
Park.
