Conservation of Biodiversity and Sustainability of the Tourism Industry of Sri Lanka Abstract diversity of flora and fauna. The K.G.S.D.Gunasinghe topography, different types of soils Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism ri Lankans have a strong and prevailing weather conditions and Hotel Management traditional culture in the enhance her wonder of biodiversity. conservation of nature. Sri S The secret behind this wonderful Lanka ts regarded as a strong hot biodiversity is ecosystems diversity activist group, Conservation spot in biodiversity. There are of forests and related ecosystems, International, as one of the 25 historical evidences to support inlands, wetlands, coastal and biodiversity hot spots in the world the fact that the ancient rulers marine traditional agricultural "Earth Angels". For an example, of Sri Lanka have taken steps to Kumana wetland cluster is the fifth ecosystems and colonial estates. preserve the environment, wetland of international including its flora and fauna. But importance. today, the human activities pose Biodiversity in Sri Lanka a great threat to biodiversity of Varied ecosystems in the country Arthur C. Clarke expressed his any ecosystem. Therefore, global feeling about Sri Lanka. "The island (Figure 1), support vegetation of attention is vital to preserve thts of Ceylon is a small universe; it more than 3,368 species of invaluable gift of the nature. contains as many varieties of flowering plants, of which 26 Tourism is a global economic culture, scenery and climate as percent are endemic and 314 activity dependent on natural some countries a dozen times its species of ferns, of which 57 are ecosystems and its diversity. size. But if you are interested in endemic. The diverse ecosystems Therefore, conservation of people, nature, history and art -all provide habitat for over 357 natural ecosystems and their things that really matter - you may invertebrates, of which 41 are biodiversity is vital for find as I have, that a lifetime is not endemic. Among vertebrates, 65 sustainable tourism in Sri Lanka. enough"(Silva, 2010). fresh water fish species are indigenous to Sri Lanka (Table 1) Flora Zelylanica is the first natural (Biodiversity Conservation in Sri Introduction exploration in Sri Lanka, which was Lanka, 1999). Biodiversity or Biological Diversity done by Carolus is the variability of fauna and flora Linnaeus in 1974 found on the planet. According to (Pethiyagoda, 2007) the Convention on Biological Sri Lanka is a Diversity, biodiversity is "the wonderful tourist variability among living organisms destination where from all sources including, every square mile is terrestrial, marine and other rich in unique natural aquatic ecosystems and ecological properties in her 2 complexes of which they are a part; 65,610 km territory, a this includes diversity within paradise of flora and species, between species and of fauna. Wildlife ecosystems". Genetic Diversity sanctuaries, forest withi*} species is a heritable reserves, bird characteristic of an organism. sanctuaries, wetlands Species Diversity refers to and mangroves, and variation between species, or to the vegetation are the variety of life forms. Ecosystem major natural Diversity means the variation resources of among ecosystems. biodiversity in Sri Lanka. So, Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, a small island in the has been identified by Figure 1: A map of Sri Lanka showing its Indian Ocean, has an invaluable the environmental hot spots of biodiversity 2/ Economic Review: Keb./March 2011 Table 1: Diversity of Fauna in Sri Lanka on what they possess unique Invertebrates Number of Number of in their natural environments. species endemic Environment makes up the species geographic location, climate Inland waters and weather, land forms a!nd Rotifer 140 topography and biological Crustacean 186 11 components like vegetation Mollusks 31 12 and wildlife. Mayflies Incomplete documented 18 Marine Eco-tourism and nature Corals More than 180 tourism are popular types of Crabs More than 200 Terrestrial tourism highly dependent on Arachnids (species) 400 nature and its diversity. Many- Butterflies 242 14 definitions can be found in Mosquito 139 literature regarding "eco­ Carbide beetles 252 127 tourism" and "nature tourism". Land snails 266 201 Many people use the same Vertebrates definition for both eco-tourism Fresh water fish - indigenous 65 Half of it endemic and nature tourism. The World Fresh water fish - introduced 22 Amphibian 53 3 Tourism Organisation (WTO) Reptilian has defined this activity at two Crocodiles 2 levels; nature tourism is a Marine turtles 5 form of tourism in which the Tortoises 3 main motivation is the Snakes 92 Half of it endemic observation and appreciation of 14 10 Agamid lizards nature while eco-tourism is a Monitor lizards 2 form with the characteristics Skinks 21 17 of all nature-based forms of Avifauna tourism and is carried out in a Birds 435 23 way that takes special 86 indigenous Terrestrial mammalian 12 10 introduced precautions for maintaining Bats 30 the natural environment of the Rodents 23 1 tourist destinations. Carnivores 14 Artiodactilyls 7 Eco tourism in Sri Lanka is Shrews 6 2 defined as responsible travel Primates 4 1 to natural and cultural areas Elephant 38 that conserves the Marine mammals environment of such areas and Source: Biodiversity Conservation in Sri Lanka, 1999. sustains the well-being of local people, with the objective of Other than the aesthetic value of mango, banana and many vegetable conservation and restoration of natural flora and fauna, Sri Lanka crops possess several genotypes. natural resources, promotion is proud of having a rich crop community involved tourism genoplasm, consisting of more Biodiversity and Tourism development, promoting than 2,500 indigenous verities of investment on conservation' of Tourism is the one of the world's rice, which are tolerant to pests and ecological resources and utilisation growing industries associated with diseases and adverse climatic and of ecotourism as a tool for the existing diversity in different soil conditions. Some of the ecosystems, flora and fauna. The conservation and rural varieties have been identified as diversity is a key factor contributing development. Government of Sri having aromatic, medicinal and to the growth and sustainability of Lanka has accepted ecotourism as nutritional properties. Other than tourism industry. Especially, the a niche segment of Sri Lanka rice, pepper, cardamom, betel, tourism industry of tropical and Tourism and guidelines for chillies, legumes, yams, citrus, developing countries highly depend ecotourism development have been 28 Economic Review: Feb./March 2011 formulated in three areas, i.e., Table 2: Ratings of influential factors to visit Sri Lanka location, site development and Factor Order of priority as a Percentage operations. Construction of eco- 1 2 3 resorts and eco-lodges, identifying 41.41 potential and available areas for Environment 31.86 48.49 21.89 eco-tourism programmes, and Culture 9.76 16.44 15.49 encouraging eco-tourism activities Social 22.96 19.97 around privately-owned resources Business 9.7 0.67 1.01 are prioritised areas to support the Previous experience 3.04 3.86 5.05 eco-tourism objectives (Sri Lanka Promotion 1.38 0.67 0.34 Tourist Board, 2003). Education 0.75 0.34 0 Other 20.55 9.56 14.81 Today, the fashion of enjoying the Source : Survey of departing foreign tourists from Sri Lanka, 2009. sun and beach is fading away. The sun and beach is not sufficient to Figure 2 shows the trend of foreign organised surviving patterns while satisfy tourists and to maintain visitors to the wild life parks in Sri utilising natural resources sustainability of the tourism Lanka from 1986 to 2010. The total carefully which led to a sustainable industry. New travellers want to revenue from foreign visitors to community-ecology relationship. experience of the nature, culture wildlife parks has increased by They identified the diversity within and tourist activities to make their nearly 98% from 1986 to 1996, the same species of flora and fauna, holidays more pleasurable and nearly 72% from 1996 to 2006 and as their medicinal, nutritional, worthwhile. Most of the travellers nearly 56% increase from 2006 to aromatic properties and many more want nature to be more prominent 2010. Table 2 provides more details unique values. Those genotypes in their vacations. The World on the contribution of sixteen were utilised for the betterment of Tourism Organisation (1998) has natural ecosystems, especially the human beings, and at the same estimated that twenty percent of national parks towards the growth time, they were allowed to thrive the world's travel in this decade will of tourism industry in Sri Lanka. in there natural habitats and be nature related. This is a great protected for a sustainable Sri Lanka Tourist Board statistics ecosystem. opportunity for Sri Lanka as a provide evidence for that the developing country to open doors to tourists' interest on nature based The use of natural resources for remote communities to gain tourism in Sri Lanka has increased. commercial farming and plantation benefits of booming tourism The government endeavours to agriculture, deforestation,, land industry. promote nature based tourism fragmentation, screening high- while curtailing the erosion of bio­ yielding genotypes, trends in A Survey on foreign tourist arrivals diversity. industrial development etc. have to Sri Lanka (2009) revealed that direct and increased impact on the the environment was the leading Erosion of Bio-diversity erosion of bio-diversity and pose a influential factor to visit tourists threat to nature tourism. Tourism At the beginning of civilisation, to Sri Lanka. The Highest industry also causes environmental proportion of tourists ranked the human communities systematically environment as their first, second and third 2,50,000 influential factor (Table2). 2,25,000 Nearly 81% of tourists 2,00,000 visited Sri Lanka to spend their holidays while about 1,75,000 Yala National Park 13 per cent came for Wilpattu National Park business matters.