Abstract:
Tourism industry is one of the exclusive foreign exchange generating industries in Sri Lanka.
The industry has many potentials to answer lot of problems such as poverty, unemployment,
less regional development of rural areas and the low advancement of infrastructure facilities of
the country. To get rid of these issues, tourism products should be differentiated to attract more
tourists to gain solutions for the above mentioned problems. Ayurvedic tourism which is the
concept of tourism related to Ayurvedic medical treatments can be identified as one of the best
tourism products that can be added value to differentiate the tourism product to generate more
and more tourists to the country. Currently a large number of tourists who are travelling to
Anuradhapura belongs to the group of senior citizens. Therefore, it is apparent that this
alternative market product can immensely be promoted among this target market. The key
objective of the research was to identify the potentials to promote Ayurvedic tourism in the
city of Anuradhapura. The study was mainly based on quantitative and qualitative data and the
sample was consisted of 50 tourists who were randomly selected in the Ancient city of
Anuradhapura. It was revealed that, 68 % of tourists belonged 45-55 age group and it was
identified that there was a strong possibility to promote Ayurvedic tourism among these aged
people as it is one of the basic needs of these aged groups. Also 70% of them preferred to stay
in Ayurvedic hotels while they are in Anuradhapura and 90% agreed that they like to purchase
Ayurvedic products which strengthen them both physically and mentally. Enhancing the
involvement of both government and private sector for creating an efficient and well-attracted
product, updating tourism related web-sites showing the healing power of the Ayurvedic
medicine, informing travel companies to include Ayurvedic products into their tour packages
and introducing tourism promotional campaigns specially focused on Ayurvedic products to
gain attention can be identified as the recommendations of the research
