The Gathering…
Jun 22, 2015
Asia‟s most unique elephant
phenomena
One of Sri Lanka‟s prime tourism
attractions
June to October each year
Source of income to people in the
area
Current situation….
Average of 400 persons per day visit park
Over 80 jeeps in operation
Average income to DWLC Rs:250,000-400,000
Average of jeeps per day 35
Average jeep hire per trip Rs: 3,000
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
120.0
Year 2007 Year 2008 Year 2009
Revenue earned by Wild Life Parks from
Tourism (In Rs. Million)
Year 2007 - 2009
Revenue (
In
Rs.M
illion)
Year
The issues….
No proper road network
Insufficient trackers
Lack of awareness and training
No code of conduct
Jeep exhaust smoke
The solutions…
Set up working sub committee comprising both senior
Colombo leaders and hotel managers/ line staff at site
Create awareness among hoteliers
Create awareness among guests and Sri Lankans
Engage Park warden
Educate drivers
Educate trackers
Incentivize Drivers/trackers
Suspend drivers for bad behaviour
Bring pressure on drivers thru larger travel agents
Use jeep drivers for collecting data
Set up working sub committee
Minimum 3 leaders form Colombo
Further 7 handpicked Managers/line managers from individual hotels in the area who can genuinely contribute- by mid September
One meeting at site to plan out brainstorm-last week September
Prepare budget-
Roll out action plan -2nd /3rd /4th weeks of October
Work with DWLC
Ensure sufficient trackers
Augment with volunteers form local community
Demarcate parking areas within the open plains for viewing elephants
Ensure that all visitors go thru information center before entering park so that they would be sensitized to proper code of conduct
Good signage
Create awareness among hoteliers
Work with the Cultural Triangle hotels Association
Conduct awareness programme for Managers, naturalists, Front office staff of all hotels
Emphasize need to protect and guard this ‘gold mine’
Impress that it has indirect impact on their remuneration levels eventually
Train a few key people from each hotel to be the champions of the cause.
Create awareness among guests
Design and print simple generic leaflet
giving all details of ‘The Gathering’, and
the do’s and don'ts
Focus on Sri Lankans
Ensure that all hotels in the area have
sufficient quantities
All guests visiting the park to be given a
leaflet
Educate drivers and trackers
Conduct half day training and awareness programme in select hotel
Engage them in active dialog and listen to their views
Bring in Sinhalese cinema popular personality to talk to jeep drivers and trackers
Arrive at a consensus solution with assurance of self-policing
Decide on evaluation scheme with awards and recognition for best trackers/drivers
Ensure that Drivers record sightings of specific elephants to build data base