Boat trips to boost tourism upcountry

by Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

Tourism will be given a boost upcountry with boat trips in the reservoirs.

Several reservoirs upcountry have been earmarked to popularise tourism following the introduction of a boat service for tourists for sight-seeing in areas that were not accessible before, due to security reasons.

Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management Nimal Siripala de Silva who assumed duties at his new ministry recently had mooted the project.

The Minister had instructed the Mahaweli Authority to launch a boat service in the reservoirs of Victoria, Kotmale, Randenigala and Maduru-Oya for the benefit of local and foreign tourists at a nominal fee.

The Minister told officials to exploit the possibility of organising a luxury bus service from star-class hotels in Kandy, Dambulla and Polonnaruwa areas to enable tourists to visit Randenigala, Victoria and the Maduru-Oya reservoirs.

Tourists using the boat service will have a unique opportunity to view the Randenigala reservoir and its adjacent areas inhabited by wildlife.

The other wildlife sanctuaries and reservoirs in proximity to Randenigala are Victoria and Maduru-Oya.

Tourists will also have an opportunity to visit the golf courses at Victoria and other historic sites such as Kotmale where King Dutugemunu sought refuge in a home that belonged to a village chieftain.

To popularise tourism upcountry SriLankan Airlines a few years ago flew tourists in small sea planes that were permitted to land on the Victoria reservoir.However, it was abandoned due to security reasons.