- The Island nation has set a target to attract 2.5 million tourists in 2024 to boost its economy
- Sri Lanka named the ‘best adventure destination in Asia’ and the ‘best up-and-coming travel destination’ by Lonely Planet
NE BUSINESS BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, SEPT 28
Sri Lanka Tourism continues to expand its warm bilateral and cultural ties with its Indian counterparts by venturing into a series of road shows in key Indian cities like Kochi,Coimbatore, Kolkata and Pune. Sri Lanka, which has been on the path of recovery after internal political turmoil, has set a target to attract 2.5 million tourists in 2024 to boost its economy.
At the road show organised in Ahmedabad on Wednesday which coincided with World Tourism Day, Thisum Jayasuriya, Chairman, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau said Sri Lanka is witnessing a considerable increase in tourist arrivals with India leading the way and securing the number one position.
Thisum Jayasuriya said the country offers a complete destination for families and is a year-long destination. Sri Lanka is meeting the travel industry in India to further establish the country as a go-to destination. “We are here in India with our stakeholders, representing hotels and resorts, destination management companies, and event management companies to reach out to our travel-trade partners in India to add value to a mutually fruitful relationship,” he said.
Nalin Perera, Director General of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority shared the details during the island nation’s roadshow in the city to promote tourism said, “We had political turmoil in the country after the Covid-19 pandemic. But we are a very resilient nation. We have bounced back very strongly. Sri Lanka depends a lot on tourism which is also the third biggest revenue generator of the country.”
He elaborated, “We have already welcomed one million tourists this year. Among them, nearly two lakhs were from India. This accounts for 22-24% of our total market share. This is significant as India has been the market leader in the last few months as far as the number of tourists’ arrival is concerned. We are now looking at 2.5 million tourists globally to visit our country in 2024.”
Perera added that one can get online visa in three days and priority visa in a day.
On direct air connectivity from the city, Thisum Jayasuriya said, “Sri Lankan Airlines is going through a revamp of its aircraft. Currently, Indigo offers services from Chennai. Ahmedabad is an important market for us. Recently a luxury cruise service was launched between Chennai and Colombo. We will soon resume ferry services between South India and Lanka.”
On cinematic tourism policy, he said, the government will draw a five-year policy in this regard to boost its economy.
Sri Lanka Tourism has been serving as a platform for the surge travel market in Sri Lanka as one of the most sought-after international destinations. Seeking to give a major impetus to its efforts to woo tourists from India,.
Sri Lanka Tourism showcased its top tourism attractions during the event which was participated by 36 Sri Lankan Travel and Tourism companies and around 200 Indian Tour Operators comprised of travel agents, MICE, Hotels, corporates, etc. The Sri Lankan delegation held meetings with key players of the travel and tourism industry discussing travel opportunities for tourists from India.
Sri Lanka Tourism is determined to expand the spectrum of tourism products and events that would appeal to all types of travellers, be it backpackers or high-end spenders who would also like to indulge in adventure tourism and explore unexplored places.
“The country’s tourism industry witnessed a rise in recent tourist influx years, with Sri Lanka being named the ‘best adventure destination in Asia’ and the ‘best up-and-coming travel destination’ by Lonely Planet. Sri Lanka Tourism is poised to scale new heights by the year-end as the country received 1,70,247 tourists from India up to August 2023. Record number of tourists from India vising Sri Lanka was highest in 2018 with 4,24,887 arrivals,” said Nalin Perera & Thisum Jayasuriya.
The Roadshow also organized a raffle draw that offered tours to Sri Lanka, hotels, etc. as gifts to the visitors.
Sri Lanka Tourism promises the best tourist experience and assures Indian tourists and investors that the country is open for business and all possible measures have been taken to ensure the safety and security of all visiting the country for leisure and business.
