Following on from my previous blog
entry, on using Sri Lanka Wildlife as one aspect of our attraction to tourism,
there is NO PROPER COORDINATION between Tourism and Wildlife in order than the
Tourist Experience is maximized and is built on a firm foundation for growth.
Sri Lanka Wildlife, could and must sell
itself, and instead it is being sold down the toilet. Foreigners and Locals go
through the same ticket counter, but pay rates that are 25 times as much as a
local pays. I know the tour party includes the usual two locals, being the
tracker and driver, but they should NOT have to wait hours to get in. The
maximum acceptable time is 15 minute wait, and there HAS TO BE an accounting of
that to know how the service provider is doing in each of the National Parks,
so the park Warden can make the necessary changes.
Then there is the maximum holding
capacity of a park for optimum enjoyment of the Tourist and of least irritation
to the animal or bird, who they come to see! When that is exceeded the Park
closes. In order NOT to disappoint, there is a definite supply and demand issue
to enter, market forces must take over, where passes for particular days are
sold in advance for a premium, which should be the same cost for a local or
tourist and that is for a vehicle.
No doubt, the Safari Jeep companies may
buy all these in advance NOT permitting anyone else to get in, and then charge
an exorbitant rate for the Tourist, (foreign or local) to use their services to
enter the park, and no one else has the pass to enter. That is actually a
problem that must be addressed to get at a fair solution, but where the Park
and not the Company make the financial benefit from this supply demand
imbalance.
Then we MUST have sufficient Park
Rangers to accompany and if rationed like this, I believe there has to be one
per vehicle, so that all rules inside the park can be obeyed. Currently, due to
shortages of Rangers in most parks, five vehicle convoys are assigned to one
ranger, an impossible task. THE RANGER IS THE CAPTIAN OF THE SHIP not the Jeep
driver! Only then will speed limits and noise pollution be controlled.
The Safari Jeep Mafia is extremely
powerful, especially in Yala and it is detrimental both to the animal, and the
tourist experience. This is something that needs immediate addressing, as
previously political patronage, made it very difficult for the Park Warden who
should be the King of his Park, enforce rules to protect both Tourist and
Animal, and maximize the unique experience of that park. At present the only
measure is Park Daily Revenue, not the sustainability of the Park or the
Wildlife who reside in it, who should take priority.
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