GIS-based assessment of nature-based ecotourism potential in the Jaffna District, Sri Lanka
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Date
2024-11-01
Authors
Rajkumar, Packiyanathan
Ravi, Sangarappillai
Wijesundara, Chaminda S.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Postgraduate Institute of Science (PGIS), University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Abstract
Ecotourism is responsible traveling to natural areas that conserve the environment and
sustain the well-being of local community. Jaffna District has a great potential for tourism
development. Lagoons, marshlands, mangroves, salt marshes, birding habitats, beaches, and
sand dunes are major resources for promoting nature-based ecotourism. Despite numerous
attempts to identify the ecotourism potential in Jaffna, GIS-based approaches are rare. Thus,
the present study was designed to evaluate the potential of nature-based ecotourism in the
district using the Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) method as a tool in the
Geographic Information System (GIS). Ecotourism potential analysis was carried out based
on a biodiversity survey undertaken from 2013 to 2018 in the Jaffna peninsula. MCDM and
criteria ranking method in GIS were used for the suitability analysis. For this, ecotourism
aspects such as wildlife in the area (diversity of birds, including abundance of flamingos) and
the presence of beaches, mangroves, salt marshes, and sand dunes were considered. Here,
factors such as the presence of wildlife, accessibility, community characteristics, and
aesthetic and social values were considered. For evaluating the suitability of wildlife, criteria
such as species diversity and richness of birds were used. For evaluating the suitability of
beaches (facilities) and to evaluate the suitability of mangroves, salt marshes, and sand
dunes, density and distribution were used, and tourist preferences, proximity to residential
areas, proximity to tourists’ accommodation, scenic beauty, and distance from main roads
were used for each aspect (factors were selected according to expert opinion). The ranking
levels were applied within the criterion and between the criteria. Suitability maps for each
aspect were produced through overlaying of thematic maps of each aspect. Based on multi
criteria analysis, eight flamingo sites, 15 birding areas, 17 mangrove areas, three beaches,
seven salt marsh sites, and six sand dunes with high potential for promotion of nature-based
tourism were identified. The present study showed that 70 species of migrant birds, including
the Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), an uncommon migrant, and critically
endangered, rare and restricted resident and migrant birds, true mangroves species with large
extents, five bird species of salt marshes, sunny beaches associated with the fishing
community and sand dunes with vegetation cover have great potential for designing and
promoting nature tour activities. Lack of investments, ecotourism promotional activities, and
other infrastructure facilities negatively affect the ecotourism development of the study
areas. Hence, these areas should be promoted for ecotourism development with stakeholder
participation from a sustainable point of view.
Description
Keywords
Ecotourism , Jaffna District , Multi-Criteria analysis , Nature-based tourism
Citation
Proceedings of the Postgraduate Institute of Science Research Congress (RESCON) -2024, University of Peradeniya, P 45