Yala National Park which has become a hotspot for tourism saw around 1,500 tourists on Wednesday, the Wildlife Department said.

According to the department officials over 1,000 were foreign tourists and about 500 were local tourists. The park has earned a direct income of Rs. 2.6 million on Wednesday.

The officials expect a significant increase in number of visitors to the park in the next few months as the best time to visit the park is between March and July. The park is closed for tourists during the dry season, from September 1 to October 15.

After the end of the conflict in 2009, tourists have been flocking to the Yala National Park which is one of the best known nature reserves in the world and a popular tourist destination.