The Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) is planning to introduce a quota system to utilise all the blocks in the Yala National Park, aiming to meet the carrying capacity limits of each block while safeguarding the protection of wild animals and maximising the experience of tourists.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, the DWC Director General, Ranjan Marasinghe said that the existing issue of overcrowding stems from the fact that all the blocks of Yala are not utilised effectively. "It is the first block that is being overcrowded as all the tourists try to visit it. With the new regulations, we will be allowed to lead the rest of the tourists to the next quota when the first block reaches its carrying capacity," he elaborated. He further added that, “The second block is not open to visitors, but the rest of the blocks will be receiving a regulated number of tourists with this system. No visitor loses the chance to visit Yala due to these implementations as the blocks have enough carrying capacity to serve them all.’

The new system of the DWC has been formulated in the wake of the Tourism authorities' move to implement strict carrying capacity limits, with the aim of expanding the tourism industry and reaching its long-term goals for the year, together with the contribution of the DWC in order to manage the traffic flow.