Sri Lanka Eastern province is to be promote as global natural and cultural destination

Oct 10, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Eastern province, is to be promoted as a world-class natural and cultural destination by National Geographic Maps, to improve the contribution of tourism to local economic growth by promoting geo tourism. Geo tourism is a form of tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a destination’s environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents.

A community-based nomination process is to be launched to create a National Geographic Geotourism MapGuide for the province.

The online interactive Geotourism MapGuide will be available in June 2015.

Local residents and visitors are invited to nominate, for inclusion in the MapGuide, any landmarks, attractions, activities, events and even local foods that define the region’s character and distinctive appeal.

Nominations can be made from October 13, 2014, during local public forums and at www.easternsrilanka.com. Implemented by the National Geographic Maps Division, a nonprofit scientific and educational institution in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, the project is being carried out in the districts of Trincomalee, Batticaloa and