Promoting Cave Tourism in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Cave tourism is an environmental based tourism product. It means exploring natural caves and tunnels. It is also known as spelunking in the United States and Canada and potholing in the United Kingdom. Speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave environment. Cave tourism can be named as a part of sport and adventure tourism. There are many caves in Sri Lanka which have pre-historical and natural values. Pahiyangala, Batadombalena, Belilena, Waulpane, Rawana Ella are some examples. Though there are many caves in Sri Lanka, promoting these caves for tourism is at a very low level. But many countries such as Australia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia, promote cave tourism for tourist industry. The main objective of this study was to identify the potential for promoting cave tourism in Sri Lanka. Research was based on both primary sources including interviews while secondary sources included web sites, books and those qualitative data were analyzed to arrive at the conclusions. Inclusion of cave tourism for tour packages of travel agencies, developing hotel promotions of caving, government and private sector involvement, raising awareness of heritage managers, developing visitor related facilities and introducing proper management plan are the recommendations for promoting cave tourism in Sri Lanka in future.