ABOUT THE EVENT

The “Serendipity Knowledge Program” (SKOP) is ADB’s knowledge program dedicated to Sri Lanka, designed to respond effectively to thecountry’s needs in line with the vision of ADB as a knowledge solutions bank. SKOP seeks to share knowledge on issues relevant to Sri Lankaand facilitate discussion among stakeholders.The latest event under SKOP will be on Tourism and Biodiversity Conservation. Sri Lanka is a globally significant biodiversity hotspot. Thetourism sector is only partially capitalizing on this diverse resource base and the wildlife and nature-based visitor product offered has notcapitalized on the potential that exists. Substantial increases in revenue for the country are possible by following international best practicesin wildlife and nature-based tourism. At the same time, the private sector can become a strong contributor to effective conservation effortsacross the protected area system in Sri Lanka through meaningful partnerships with relevant state departments.The SKOP event will introduce options in wildlife and nature-based tourism in Africa based on success stories of the Wilderness Group fromSouth Africa through a keynote address and discuss the potential of adapting such an approach to Sri Lanka in support of a sustainable andresilient tourism sector. Discussions will be supported by informative videos.The event will be opened by the Director General, South Asia Department, ADB, sharing his views and insights on Tourism Developmentand Biodiversity Conservation, and ADB’s role in supporting the reforms to be undertaken in the sector. This will be followed by the keynoteaddress and an expert panel discussion on the potential for higher value tourism in Sri Lanka and the required reforms and strategies to foster asustainable and resilient tourism and biodiversity sector.This hybrid event will be attended by stakeholders including government officials, private sector representatives, think tanks, developmentpartners, civil society and ADB staff. A question and answer session provides everybody with an opportunity to engage with the expert panel.