Sri Lanka Launches Online Ticketing for National Parks
- CNL Reporter
- August 10, 2025
- News
- National Parks
- 0 Comments
The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) has introduced an online ticketing system for Sri Lanka’s national parks, enabling visitors to purchase permits via its official website.
The move follows complaints from tourists who faced long queues at Kaudulla National Park yesterday, with some missing scheduled safaris due to ticketing delays. Kaudulla, known for its seasonal elephant gatherings, draws large crowds during peak months.
Through the new platform, visitors can check park availability, reserve dates, pay online, and receive QR-coded permits for faster entry. Bookings will close automatically once the daily capacity is reached, helping manage visitor flow.
Sri Lanka’s national parks attracted over 2.7 million visitors in 2018, but overcrowding and poor infrastructure have frequently caused delays and reduced visitor satisfaction.
While the e-ticketing system is expected to ease entry bottlenecks, experts warn that broader challenges—such as waste management, overcrowding in popular parks like Yala, and inconsistent ticketing procedures at some reserves—must also be addressed.
The DWC says it plans to expand online ticketing to all major parks and improve facilities to balance tourism growth with environmental conservation.
