Browsing by Author "Kulathilake, P.A.C.D."

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    Identify the Potential Demand for Geotourism Travel Trend (Special Reference to Jathika Namal Uyana, Knuckles Mountain Range and Horton Plains in Sri Lanka)
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2020) Kulathilake, P.A.C.D.; Ranasinghe, J.P.R.C.
    This study focused on the potential demand for geotourism travel trends in the context of the Sri Lankan tourism industry. Geotourism is a new concept and a niche market that has specific needs. This research aimed to describe the geological significance of the sites with the basic concept of the creation of geosites and to identify the potential demand for geotourism travel trends benefiting the tourism stockholders to enhance their knowledge to the future demand of the tourism industry. Hence, the study was conducted to identify potential demand for geotourism travel trends, to identify the impact of visitor perception on the potential demand for Geotourism, and to identify the relationship between destination capabilities and potential demand for geotourism, and to the identify the travel agency perception on the potential demand for geotourism travel trend. Research-based was on mixed-method approach. The primary data were collected from 120 foreign tourists using a convenience sampling technique and a questionnaire consisted of 45 questions. 10 structured interviews were conducted with travel agencies to cover the qualitative section of the study. The quantitative data analytical method was employed in analysing the data following descriptive statistics, simple linear regression analysis, and correlation analysis using SPSS 22. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. The finding reflected that visitor perceptions were significantly influenced by the potential demand for geotourism travel trends towards geosites. There was a strong positive relationship between destination capabilities and potential demand for geotourism travel trend of the foreign tourists towards geosites of Namal Uyana, Knuckles Mountain Range, Horton Plains. Introducing awareness programmes, innovative tour guide lectures, motivating tourism stockholders to address the new market it directly affected on the potential demand for geotourism travel trend towards Sri Lanka. Keywords: Geotourism, Geosites, Potential demand, Destination capabilities, Visitor perception