Wildlife parks attract more tourists

The percentage of foreign tourists visiting Sri Lanka's national parks has doubled this year with the end of the war, a senior government official said.

Botanical Gardens and Wildlife Conservation Department Director General Chandrawansa Pathiraja said normally 10 percent of foreign tourists who come to Sri Lanka visit wildlife parks, but it has increased to 20 percent since January.

"During the last three decades several wildlife parks in the country were closed for tourists due to the war," said Pathiraja, adding that at present all parks are open for visitors without any restriction. He said the government has already commenced a special program to upgrade the facilities in wildlife parks.

Sri Lanka's only island wildlife park Pigeon Island in the eastern Trincomalee district would be opened to tourists soon, Pathiraja said.

Xinhua