23 September 2026
Rainforest Ecolodge Wins Silver at the ICRT Indian Subcontinent Awards 2026
The Rainforest Ecolodge, Deniyaya, has been named the Silver Winner in the ‘Nature Positive’ category of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) Indian Subcontinent Awards 2026, recognising its long-standing approach to responsible tourism, biodiversity conservation and community engagement.
Located within the Enselwatte Tea Estate bordering the UNESCO World Heritage Site –the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, The Rainforest Ecolodge was created around a simple principle: tourism should enable people to experience and understand nature without degrading the ecosystems on which that experience depends.
The property was established as a pioneering private-sector ecotourism initiative supported by the USAID-led Tourism Cluster, bringing together proven expertise from Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, academia, conservation and development sectors. It was conceived as a model demonstrating that ecotourism could be both commercially viable and environmentally responsible.
The ecolodge is entirely developed within an existing tea estate and its accommodation incorporates repurposed shipping containers and reclaimed materials, while the property’s physical footprint has remained unchanged since its opening in 2012.
Nature interpretation remains central to the guest experience. Trained naturalists lead small groups of guests on rainforest trails, birdwatching tours, waterfall hikes and nocturnal excursions, helping visitors understand Sinharaja’s endemic species, habitats and ecological relationships. Wildlife observation is conducted without feeding, handling or intentionally altering natural behaviour, allowing encounters to remain respectful and non-intrusive.
The ecolodge’s responsible tourism model also extends to neighbouring communities through local employment, sourcing and development initiatives. Under the USAID-supported SENCE programme, 35 residential units were built for estate worker families, alongside initiatives that supported access to safe drinking water and clean energy.
The Rainforest Ecolodge is recognised by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority as Sri Lanka’s first officially classified ecolodge and holds a LEED Platinum certification, reflecting the environmental principles embedded into the property from its design.
The ICRT’s Nature Positive category recognises tourism businesses and organisations that act as guardians of biodiversity, create meaningful wildlife experiences without causing harm, ensure communities benefit from nature-based tourism and use travel as a platform for environmental education.
For The Rainforest Ecolodge, the Silver Award reinforces a philosophy that has guided the property since its inception: responsible tourism works best when conservation, community benefit and visitor experience operate as part of the same system.
At The Rainforest Ecolodge, the forest is not simply the setting for the experience. Protecting and understanding it is the reason the experience exists.
About Aitken Spence Hotels
Heritance Hotels and Resorts is the flagship brand of Aitken Spence Hotels, a part of Aitken Spence PLC, a leading Sri Lankan blue-chip conglomerate. Aitken Spence Hotels oversees a diverse collection of 16 hotels and resorts across Sri Lanka, Maldives, Oman and India through its diverse collection of brands Heritance Hotels and Resorts, Adaaran Hotels & Resorts, and Turyaa. Heritance Hotels and Resorts stands as the custodian of the largest portfolio of Bawa– designed hotels in Sri Lanka, adding a touch of architectural distinction to its rich offerings.
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