Sri Lanka Hosts Inaugural WLI Asia Conference: President Ratifies Nation’s Commitment to Eco-Tourism

Following a June conference on sustainability management, President Ranil Wickremesinghe pledged the nation’s commitment towards wetland conservation and fostering advancements in eco-tourism. Held at the Diyasuru wetland park in Battaramula, the first-ever Wetlands International (WLI) Asia Oceania Conference focused on promoting sustainable tourism through the region’s wetlands and wetland centres.

In his closing remarks towards the end of the three-day conference, Wickremesinghe highlighted plans to bolster “green financing” in the areas in need of preservation, including initiatives in wetland areas along the Southwestern coast, such as sites around the Kalu Ganga. The region has already seen an increase in eco-focused tourism over the years, with a premier luxury hotel in Sri Lanka at almost every town across the coast, which includes sustainability-focused properties such as Anantara Kalutara Resort.

“We must rely on our own methods of generating commercial revenue to protect the environment”, the President pointed out, stressing that international funding would most likely not be a reliable option.