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MONTHLY NEWS BULLETIN - DECEMBER 2019

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Dear Trade Colleagues,

Though we’re almost at the end of 2019, remember there’s still a few days left to pack your bags and do the things written on that forgotten 2019 New Year Resolutions paper! You still have time to lose yourself in the magical Simpson’s Forest, spend a day in a Matara village doing everything a tourist wouldn’t, meet someone good with numbers and another good at not getting their toes bitten off by salties, and even live like a local to fund the Leopard Conservation Project. However, if you’re packing your bags for another part of the world, perhaps even Netherlands (though completely ignoring USA Today’s recommendation on visiting Sri Lanka to avoid the winter!) our Eco Team stall at The Vakantiebeurs 2020 in Utrecht is at the Sri Lanka Counter. Do drop in and say hi!

I wish you happy holidays this December and, of course, nothing less than experiential journeys ahead!

Anuruddha Bandara (AB)
Founder
Experiential Journeys



 

Our policy in discouraging Animal Cruelty, Tourist Traps and Staged Tourist Shows

Animals Are Friends Too: Discouraging Animal Cruelty, Tourist Traps and Staged Tourist Shows

We at ExJ stay away from tourism experiences that are staged and involve animal cruelty and shopping traps that are contrived to exploit and deceive clients.

Even though some of the popular ‘attractions’ are not included in our programmes due to the above reasons, we have no objections in our clients making their own arrangements with our Drivers to visit these places.

 

Why we do not promote following attractions

 

Turtle Hatcheries

As this concept has serious negative aspects in terms of conservation, we do not encourage our visitors to patronize the turtle hatcheries, as not all of them are really turtle-friendly. We instead encourage them to observe turtles in their natural habitats.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

When we became aware that the animal welfare standards there were questionable, we stopped encouraging our clients to visit the orphanage. We are pleased to observe that the Born Free Foundation has now adopted similar measures.

Elephant back rides – Habarana

There’s uncertainty surrounding the attitude of this place towards animal welfare. There may be a few ethical operators, but in general, we are not in agreement with how the place is run. We all would love a photo of us riding an elephant, but is a lifetime of pain caused to these magnificent mammals really worth a few fleeting likes on social media?

Traditional Village Tour with a Canoe Trip and Bullock-Carts – Habarana

This is a tourist trap where a lot of the trip is ‘staged’ for commercial purposes. Such fake touristic experiences will not give our visitors an idea of what life in the country is really like, so join us as we show you the real side of Sri Lanka. And at the end of every vacation, always ask yourself, “Did you feel that your holiday was ethical, eco-friendly, and reduced environmental impacts?”


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