As part of its ongoing bilateral and cultural ties with its Indian counterparts, Sri Lanka Tourism organised a series of roadshows in key South Indian cities. These series of roadshows were conducted with an aim to promote the destinations and tourism products of the island nation.

Sri Lanka Tourism recently held a series of roadshows in significant South Indian cities as part of its ongoing bilateral and cultural ties with its Indian counterparts. According to a press statement, these roadshows were held with the intention of promoting the tourist spots and industry offerings of the island nation. On April 24, Chennai hosted the first road show, which was followed by Cochin on April 26 and Bangalore on April 28.

The statement says that the event focussed on promoting a myriad of tourism experiences while focusing on converting potential travellers to make booking and highlight the positive message that Sri Lanka is open for Leisure, Business and MICE tourism. Many industry stakeholders have supported this endeavour including Sri Lankan Airlines and Indigo. Each roadshow included business-to-business sessions facilitating numerous discussions followed by an evening networking event which also helped to improve business partnerships.

It adds that a delegation of more than 30 hotels and travel agencies from Sri Lanka took part in the event, led by Harin Fernando, the minister of tourism, and included Thisum Jayasuriya, the chairman of the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, Chalaka Gajabahu, the chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), Shirani Herth, the junior manager of the SLTPB, and Malkanthi Welikla, the manager of marketing for the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau.

“Sri Lanka is experiencing a significant rise in tourist arrivals, particularly from India, which has now secured the top spot. In the first three months of 2023, we welcomed 46,432 Indian tourists. With an ambitious promotional campaign underway, we are aiming to attract 2 million tourists this year. This increase in visitors has had a positive impact on tourism earnings, with Sri Lanka earning around USD 530 million in the first quarter of 2023, compared to USD 482.3 million in the same period last year. We expect to generate a total of USD 3 billion in tourism revenue this year,” says Harin Fernando, Minister of Tourism.

During the Roadshows, the Minister of Tourism met several high-profile business leaders, investors, tourism stakeholders and corporates while engaging in several media interviews with leading Indian media houses.

“Sri Lanka is an ideal destination for families and is suitable for travel throughout the year. The country is currently engaging with the travel industry in India to reinforce its position as a preferred travel destination. Through our representatives and stakeholders from hotels, resorts, destination management companies, and event management companies, we aim to build a strong relationship with our travel-trade partners in India and foster a mutually beneficial association,” Chalaka Gajabahu, Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.

The statement says that the target audience at these roadshows were tour operators, media, key influencers, corporates, trade associations and key tourism industry stakeholders in India, who had the ability to take the

message that Sri Lanka is not only one of the most beautiful countries with an amazing range of destinations and products, but is also safe and secure.

“Sri Lanka is quickly becoming a popular destination for meetings, conferences, and incentives, also known as MICE. To showcase this promising destination, we hosted the first-ever MICE expo in Sri Lanka in March 2023. We were excited to welcome 80 participants from India alone. Sri Lanka’s proximity and excellent connectivity make it an attractive and cost-effective option for MICE travellers,” Thisum Jayasuriya, Chairman Sri Lanka Convention Bureau says.