Abstract:
In recent decades, mountains have become inseparable natural landscapes
and community participation is an inevitable criterion of sustainable
tourism. Although Sri Lanka embraces varieties of mountains and
community landscapes, Mudaliwatta is one of the blessed landscapes of
natural and human geographical resources. The study intended to explore
the diverse natural and human geographic resources and the magnitude of
Mountain Community-based Tourism (MCBT) for sustainable development
in Mudaliwatta. Resource exploration and community interpretation led the
study to adopt qualitative case approach to elucidate the diversity of
resource bases and naturalistic interpretation of the community. Data were
collected from the primary sources using focus groups, in-depth key
informant interviews via judgmental sampling technique, observations, and
artifacts. Empirical findings, narrative analysis of community
interpretations through interviews, focus group discussions, observation
and field notes reveal the mountain-based natural and cultural diversity of
Mudaliwatta. The tangible and intangible heritage are adding further
monumental values to the mountain landscape. Although prevailing
conventional tourism embraces a shallow touch on natural and community
landscapes, natural and human geographical resources have not been
capitalized sustainably. In conclusion, Mudaliwatta inevitably demands
MCBT to anticipate a wide range of tourism opportunities available for the
local communities through sustainable capitalization of natural and human
geographic resources. Developing and establishing the responsible MCBT
value chain in mountain landscapes will help the local community to
eradicate poverty while ensuring sustainable development.
