Geotourism as a Tool for Tourism Development in Sri Lanka: An Exploration

Abstract

Geotourism is a tourism activity witnessing ABC attributes, abiotic, biotic, and culture focusing on abiotic properties of the natural setting. This investigation explores whether Geotourism could be a lucrative tool for sustainable tourism development. An interpretive exploratory approach was entrusted for the study given its applicability to trace deeper feelings, thought, and attitudes of individuals. Twenty in-depth interviews from tourism stakeholders including tourists, the local community, and government officers at two different geologically significant sites were conducted over 04 months. Transcriptions were thematically analysed by coding and axial coding. The study revealed that lack of awareness towards Geotourism concept causes Geotourism in Sri Lanka in its infancy, though Sri Lanka is having an abundant marketable opportunity for its diversified tourist locations to initiate Geotourism developments. Geotourism can be used as a lucrative tool for tourism development by addressing certain issues like improper place management, lack of promotion by examining two excellent heritage sites.

Keywords: Geotourism, Geotourists, Geoheritage sites, Tourism development, Ussangoda National Park, Mahapelessa hot spring

JEL Classification: M20, Z32