A Study on Potential of Developing Gem Industry as a Contributor to Tourism Development with special Reference to Ratnapura District
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Date
2017
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Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Ratnapura Gem tourism in Sri Lanka is considered as an untapped market as there's a
demand for as a product or service that isn't being supplied by any party yet. In the outer
world it attracts creatively the tourists who interested in purchasing gem, then
influenced them to travel among different destinations. Go beyond the mere
transactions of gems this has expanded the demand of traveling to experience within
gem regions as a tourist activity. The ability to influence travel of tourists depends on
the potentials of the certain region and it is shaped by internal and external environment
factors. Gem tourism can be considered as niche market where a huge contribution can
be given to the economy of Sri Lanka as it is a developing country but bearing good
reputation for Ceylon Gems. In this qualitative study identified the potentials to
promote gem tourism in Sri Lanka giving special consideration to the Ratnapura.
Further the stakeholder perspectives were explored to see the weakness/challenges to
recreate this city in to a major tourism destination. With the intention to have higher
contextual understanding rather than generalizing the findings the research adopted
qualitative approach and conducted qualitative interviews and derived findings through
thematic analysis. Abundant potentials and preventatives have identified to promote
gem tourism within Ratnapura considering major challenges and benefits can derive to
the destination through the Gem tourism. Through research findings, current situation
of the tourism, potentials and major challenges are identified to include them in a
strategic plan than can be further developed to recreate the destination as a major
tourism hub. Finally, recommendations are provided from the perspective of
stakeholders of this study.
Key words: Gem tourism, tourism development, recreate destination, tourism hub
Description
Keywords
Hospitality, Tourism and Events Management degree programme (HTE)