- Sri Lanka back to normal, keen to welcome Indian tourists: Tourism Minister Harin Fernando
- Newly-appointed Brand Ambassador and veteran cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya inaugurates Lankan tourism’s new DMC in Ahmedabad
- The country has attracted 5,00,000 tourists so far, including 76,000 from India, and aims to cross the 1 million mark by the end of the year.
NE BUSINESS BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, AUG 20
Stating that Sri Lanka looks to India as its big brother who has always been supportive and economically helped the island nation to tackle the worst crisis, and the Indian companies have made huge investments, we are indebted to the Indian government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, being a small country, we have to maintain cordial relations with all in the larger interest of our country, Sri Lankan Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said here on Saturday.
“We thank the Narendra Modi government, especially at this point where Sri Lanka had difficult times in the last couple of months. Among the Indian companies, Gujarat-based Adani Group has made huge investments in ports, logistics and energy while the ITC Group in the hospitality sector. Apart from this, many big public and private firms have made investments in our country,” the minister said.
Answering a query on the major cooperation of the country with China in defence and industry, Fernando said, “Sri Lanka is a small country, and Sri Lanka has very good friendship with everyone. I am sure India understands that. We have a very good diplomatic relationship with India.”
He was in Ahmedabad to promote tourism in the island nation and open a Destination Management Company (DMC) to help the tourists from Gujarat.
The DCM was opened by its newly-appointed Brand Ambassador and veteran cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya and the minister in Ahmedabad.
Fearnando said, “Sri Lanka, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, is back to normal after the recent political crisis and is looking to welcome more than 1 million tourists this year. Sri Lanka and India share very close religious, historical, and cultural relations. Indians account for the highest number of tourists to Sri Lanka, and the island nation is gearing up to welcome more tourists from the country.”
DMC office to promote only SL tourism opened in Ahmadabad by @Sanath07 and myself. Tourists from Gujarat are the most travelled in India and there wasn’t a dedicated office. Expert Hospitality was one of the first DMCs to come forward to open the office @munshishashwat pic.twitter.com/Lu8IXH3xOV
— Harin Fernando (@fernandoharin) August 20, 2022
“There is a lot of negative news about Sri Lanka owing to the recent political situation, but the crisis is over now. The negative news does not reflect the situation in Sri Lanka and is one of the reasons for the low tourist numbers. I assure you that Sri Lanka is up and running to welcome Indian tourists, and invite more Indians to visit our country. Sri Lanka is not just about beautiful beaches but has a lot more to offer. It is the ideal destination for tourists, weddings, conferences, solo travellers, honeymoon couples, and more,” Harin Fernando, Minister of Tourism and Lands, Government of Sri Lanka.
https://twitter.com/Sanath07/status/1560956472724373504?s=20&t=B75hAP_m-zX7_IYShY0RQg
Sri Lanka attracted 2.3 million tourists in the year 2018, but the numbers fell in 2019 because of the Easter bombings and were impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The country has attracted 5,00,000 tourists so far, including 76,000 from India, and aims to cross the 1 million mark by the end of the year. The peak tourism season for Sri Lanka is from October to January. It is also expecting the festival season in India to drive tourist flow to the country. Sri Lanka’s tourism-related revenue has been close to $900 million this year and is expected to touch $2 billion for the year.
To a query on air connectivity, the minister said, “We are trying to bring in a big crowd at once — about 2,000 pilgrims — to Palaly airport in Jaffna, which is being refurbished and from there starting by road. The government has cleared flights from Jaffna to Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu, and a ferry service from Kankesanthurai in Jaffna to Karaikal in Puducherry and is expected to begin services in 3-4 weeks, and Sri Lanka is also looking at improved air connectivity. There is a proposal for a Mannar-Rameswaram ferry service too.”
Former cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya, who is the Brand Ambassador for Sri Lanka Tourism, and a part of the SL delegation, said, “We are here to tell people that Sri Lanka is back to normal and is safe for travel. Sri Lanka has many good things to offer. Tourism is one of our main sources of income and we want people to visit Sri Lanka. We look forward to welcoming people from India to our country.”
Sri Lanka is exploring new avenues to attract more tourists. It is looking to give a boost to religious tourism and is working with various ashrams for attracting more religious tourists to the country. Sri Lanka also has a strong presence in the wellness segment with yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda. It also offers various vegetarian food delicacies and cuisines. A ferry service from Pondicherry to Sri Lanka has already been approved,
Thisum Jayasuriya, Chairman of Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, is also a part of the Sri Lankan delegation.
