RESEARCH ARTICLE

RECREATIONAL PLANNING: ESTIMATION OF VISITOR SATISFICATION AT KAWDULLA NATIONAL PARK IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

A questionnaire survey was conducted to estimate the overall quality of visitor experience and identify the visitor characteristics and perceptions at Kawdulla National Park (KNP) in Sri Lanka. The overall visitor satisfaction is 57.5%, and the visitor facilities and interpretive services have to be improved by 52% and 47% respectively. Animal sightings could be improved considerably at KNP limiting the number of vehicles to the national park. The majority of viistors to KNP were middle aged and educated from the high income groups. The main reason for visiting KNP is watching elephants and they are willing to pay for boating in Gal Oya flooded area and elephant riding. The visitors could have been attracted to KNP, if the opportunities of bird watching, crocodile watching and efficient ticketing system were established. There is a demand for drinking water facility, clean toilets and restaurant facility at KNP. Cafeteria operation, boating service, wash room maintenance, elephant riding, and maintaining a professional guiding service would be the ecotourism concessions to be developed with the local community. Therefore, the results shed light on important policy directions for recreational planning at KNP for enhancing quality of visitor experience.

Keywords: Recreational planning, quality of visitor experience, national park, visitor perceptions

How to Cite: Rathnayake,R.M.W, (2015). RECREATIONAL PLANNING: ESTIMATION OF VISITOR SATISFICATION AT KAWDULLA NATIONAL PARK IN SRI LANKA.WILDLANKA, 3(1):Pages 037-047

Published On:2015-03-30

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