Dancing Tourism
A Study Based on Sri Lankan Traditional Dance
Shashikala Nimanthi Premathilaka, Kanato Kashima and Meihui Li（The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics）
Abstract

Tourism always depends on the uniqueness and the attraction of the culture of a country. Theculture enhances the county’s value and direct impact on economic development. Therefore it isimportant to identify the existing opportunities and provide considerable effort to make themaximum use of that uniqueness. Traditional dance is also a part of the culture which is one of thegreatest ways to show the pride of a country. This study is based on how we can use new technology
to promote the traditional dance of Sri Lanka to enhance the tourism industry. The purpose of thisresearch is to encourage people to visit and explore the Sri Lankan traditional dance and to provide
excellent dancing experience to people all around the world. At the same time, this project has
fulfilled sustainable development goals such as good health, gender equity, quality education andreduce inequity. By concerning all the above-mentioned factors, a new concept called Dancing Tourismas the result of this research is introduced.

■ 1. Introduction

music. Kandyan dance was origin in Kandy whichis the central city of Sri Lanka. The low country

Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful countries

dance was origin in Sothern part of Sri Lanka

that attracts thousands of visitors all over thewhereworld. With a splendid cultural tradition, theRathnapura district located in Sabaragamuwa

country is also known as the “Wonder of Asia”.

province. Currently, Sri Lankan traditional dance

According to the lonely planet, Sri Lanka has beenhas been giving a significant contribution to thenamed as “the best country in the world to visit incountry’s tourism industry. From this paper, we2019” [1]. Sri Lanka is a nation which has full of

have discussed a new concept called “Dancing

natural resources, spiritual habits, tasty food, andTourism”, which describes how to promote Sriunbelievable cultural heritage.

Lankan traditional dance through information

Sri Lanka, “the pearl of Indian Ocean”, has amagnificent history of thousands of years and richculture which is attached and growth with
Buddhism. When study about the Sri Lankan

theSabaragamuwa

dance

originintechnology to provide a new phase to tourism.

■ 2. Dancing Tourism

Each country has its own culture and uniquenessculture, Sri Lankan traditional dance has been

which the people of other countries prefer totaken a remarkable place. Sri Lankan traditional

experience. Traditional dance can be known as

dance has a tremendous attraction of locals andone of the golden treasures which can show theinternational people because of its uniqueness,pride of count to the other nations. Traditional

colorfulness, and rhythm of instruments.

dance involves not only dance performance but

Sri Lankan traditional dance has three main

also costumes, traditional music and instruments,

categories as Kandyan Dance, Low Country

and other attributes as well. Sri Lankan traditional

Dance,

These

dance also kind of an unbelievable dance stylecategories are different from each other from theiralong with a great history where the people ofbody moments, instruments and rhythm of theother countries must-see. Therefore we have

andSabaragamuwa

Dance.

NAIS Journal

5decided to attach traditional dance with tourism

As the Objective of our project is to promote theand created a new concept called “Dancing

traditional dance through new technology, we haveTourism”. Definition of Dancing Tourism, “Travel

given my concern towards the software component

by concerning to explore and experience theand created attractive frontends by providing

unique traditional dance styles, which is attachedmaximum usability. (Figure 2)

to the cultural heritage of a country.”■ 3. Research Method

This research focuses on how IT can be used topromote the traditional dance of Sri Lanka alongwith the enhancement of tourism. Before theproject development, we have done an awarenesssurvey by using 35 international people throughan online questioner (using google form). Survey

We have created a website and a mobileresults proved, 80% of people would like to know

application separately. The website contains withmore details about Sri Lankan dance and 88.6%

the tabs as home, about, gallery, events andwould like to visit Sri Lanka to get live experience

contact us which are providing more details withon Sri Lankan dance. Pie charts and bar charts

images, and videos. And also website has ahave been used to show the survey results.

connection with a blog and all the top social media■

4. Research Problem

apps (SNS) such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube,and WeChat. (Figure 3) The purpose of adding a

Having an integrated system to promote

blog to this system is people can share theirtraditional dance is useful to attract people. But

experiences with others. This system has provided

there is no specific way to promote Sri Lankan

all way promotion to the traditional dance. The

traditional dance to the world. The other problem

mobile application also has a direct link to theis the difficulty of finding attractive videos towebsite, SNSs, and blog. It was created as bothenhance the beauty of Sri Lankan dance. It is

the android and iOS support platform. Official

necessary to present the true beauty of dance

pages have been created in facebook, Instagram,using the high technology of videography. At theWeChat and, YouTube to share quality videos,same time, insufficient data regarding cultural

photos, tutorials, and other updates.

dance will lead to discouraging new researches.

■ 5. System Design for Dancing Tourisms

The system that we decided is combined withthe components of hardware, software, database,people and process. (Figure 1)

Figure 1

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Figure 2

NAIS JournalFigure 3■ 6. Conclusion

Proper usage of cultural heritages is lead to

obtain economic development and provide a newexperience to the other nations. Traditional danceis one of the greatest values of Sri Lanka which isextremely unique when compared with othercountries. Through the new concept called“Dancing Tourism”, the beauty and the pride of◆About the Authors

Shashikala Premathilaka
Born on 1990 in Kandy Sri Lanka. She graduated fromRajarata University of Sri Lanka (BSc. ICT) andUniversity of Colombo Sri Lanka (PgD.BM). She haslearned Sri Lankan traditional dance from the age of 5
and done this research to promoting the Sri Lankan
dance all around the world.

Sri Lankan traditional dance with the help of newtechnology. As a result of my integrated system,
people all around the world can experience the SriLankan traditional dance will be introducued byusing a mobile phone. Also, this research willencourage much more people to visit Sri Lanka toKanato Kashima
Assistant Professor
The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics

experience traditional dance.

Meihui LiReferences

Professor
The Kyoto College of Graduate Studies for Informatics[1] Lonely Planet. Best in Travel 2019 – Top Countries.

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel[2] Premathilaka S.N. (2019). Visit Sri Lanka for Dance.
Dancing Tourism of Sri Lanka. https://5d1366e7a65ab.
site123.me/

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