APREC to promote ecotourism

WALTER LIYANARACHCHI

The Asia-Pacific Ecotourism Conference (APREC-2009) held in Colombo had unanimously endorsed at its Plenary Session the establishment of an Asia-Pacific Regional Ecotourism Council (APREC) and Asia-Pacific Regional Network (APRN) to promote ecotourism and involve more and more countries and like-minded organisations who are interested in joining the APREC fold.

A declaration had also been signed to set up a Secretariat and a Steering Committee for the APREC based in Sri Lanka until the next Conference in 2010, which is to be held in one of the participating countries.

A Regional Network is to be established since interacting among the countries is essential to develop sustainable ecotourism, dissemination of information, share market potential, improve new community based tourism products, exchange expertise within the region.

The APREC also identified and resolved to formulate, a full fledged Research and Training Institute on Sustainable Ecotourism as it is very essential in bringing together the ecotourism expertise of the region, to disseminate information on environmental and biodiversity conservation, culture and heritage tourism and for the collection of information on community-based projects in the region.

The APREC also resolved to support the Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation in its formation and building up of a Research and Training Institute in collaboration with its main Academic Partner, the Sabaragamuwa University.