Together with six international travel bloggers and influencers from UK, Netherlands, Singapore, India, USA, Sri Lanka Tourism’s Blogger Programme kicked off the very first ‘Destination Promotional Familiarization Tour with Nature Concern’ initiative by planting 200 trees within the areas of Badulla District (Alugolla Hill) where the area was affected by soil erosion and landslides.
Dave McClane, a travel blogger from (www.Manvsglobe.com) UK who participated in the project said, “I’m here with Sri Lanka Tourism to expose their popular tourism locations and a few lesser known destinations, and I hope to promote Sri Lanka encouraging more tourists to visit the destination. Today, we’re planting some trees to show that you can travel to Sri Lanka and get back, meet interesting people, and responsible and the environment is different”.
Isabel Leong , travel blogger (www.Bel around the world .com) from Singapore said, “Together with some other bloggers around the world today, we are here to explore the beauty of Sri Lanka. I feel really honored to be a part of this meaningful activity around this little town, and I hope we can be able to promote this town, so that most of us will be able to visit”.
This unique experience will be given the opportunity to promote Sri Lanka as a destination concern more about the nature values and fully support for sustainable tourism development. While growing global tourists’ concern on environment and wildlife, Sri Lanka Tourism expects to create an indirect promotion to the island with such unique activities. Also, this nature focus social media promotion expects to generate more and more tourists to Bandarawela and Badulla area, where currently there is minimum tourism engagement comparing to nearby areas such as Ella and Nuwara Eliya. Moreover, it will further support to balance the tourist carrying capacity in the popular highland destinations and create more opportunities to the local economy in UVA Province.
While sharing various travel blog posts, Instagram posts, videos about this unique experience given by Sri Lanka Tourism, travel bloggers expect to recommend UVA Province, as the next highland hotspot to travel.
The program was taken in place on November 6, 2019, under the patronage of Divisional Secretary for UVA Province. Local school Children from ‘Parisara Niyamuwo’ Environmental Society also joined with this tree plantation program, in order to create awareness and motivation for the future generation on environmental protection.
The tree plantation project was operated by the Badulla Buddhist Society and People’s Leasing Company to make it impactful for the environment in Badulla District to be up and running. They are expecting to plant over 1000 trees within selected areas in Badulla.
Sri Lanka Army, Badulla Divisional Secretarial Office, Buddhist Society, People’s Leasing Company – Badulla and other partners from local corporate sector including Aitken Spence Hotels (Hotel Bandarawela), Jetwing Travels joined with this campaign in order to make it sustainable and up and running.
Explaining the ultimate goal of this initiative, Chaminda Munasinghe, Assistant Director VJP of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) stated:
“While consuming all the elements of Mother Nature, it is a great feeling to give something back. All these travel bloggers and influencers are extremely happy to be part of such nature caring project and looking forward to return back with loved ones to see the trees they have planted in Badulla area,” said Mr. Munasinghe.
Sri Lanka Travel Feneteko