Well known tea manufacturers (e.g. Lipton Tea) cultivate their plantations around Haputale. "Dambatenne" is one of the tea processing centers (located 9km from the city). Sir Thomas J. Lipton was living on this estate and the factory still maintains most of the machinery already in use one century ago. The possibility to visit and watch those traditional production techniques as well as try different kinds of tea makes this quite a popular tourist attraction.