(Commonwealth_India) Sri Lanka and Australia are capitalizing on the growing number of outbound Indian tourists, with new initiatives designed to attract more visitors from India. Among these, Sri Lankan Airlines has introduced a remarkable tourism package to connect Indian travelers with Sri Lanka’s rich cultural heritage—particularly through the lens of the Ramayana, one of India’s most significant Hindu epics. This initiative, named the “Ramayana Trail,” offers a unique journey across 50 key locations in Sri Lanka, all connected to the ancient text.
The Ramayana is a foundational story that spans much of South Asia, and Sri Lanka is integral to its narrative. The “Ramayana Trail” takes tourists to some of the most iconic places linked to the epic, including the Seeta Amman Temple in the serene town of Seetha Eliya in Sri Lanka’s central highlands. Hindu tradition believes that Mata Sita, the wife of Lord Rama, prayed at this spot during her captivity after the demon king Ravana abducted her. The trail also includes Rumassala Hill, an area that local legend claims was once part of the Himalayan mountains and was supposedly dropped there by the mighty Hanuman during his mission to transport medicinal herbs to save Lord Rama’s brother, Lakshmana.
The Sri Lankan High Commissioner underscored the deeper significance of the Ramayana for both India and Sri Lanka during the initiative’s official launch in Delhi over the weekend. He stated, “The Ramayana is not merely a story; it is a tapestry that encapsulates culture, spirituality, and heritage. It has been a source of inspiration and guidance, fostering a deep connection between our two countries.” The High Commissioner emphasized that the “Ramayana Trail” is more than just a tourism package—it’s an opportunity for Indian travelers to explore the intertwined cultural and spiritual histories of Sri Lanka and India.
SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka, is proud to be a part of this initiative. Richard Nuttall, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, highlighted the role of the airline’s “Gurus,” or tourism experts, who came up with the concept of the Ramayana Trail as a way to connect Indian tourists with Sri Lanka’s diverse heritage. We are incredibly proud to bring this concept to India, Nuttall said. We hope that this enterprise will uplift tourism from India to Sri Lanka to new elevations, delivering a fresh wave of visitors keen to discover these iconic, spiritually important locations.
This initiative comes at a time when Sri Lanka is deepening its digital financial connectivity with India. Recently, India extended its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to Sri Lanka, thereby enhancing the ease of digital transactions for Indian tourists. This extension allows Indian visitors to make seamless payments while traveling in Sri Lanka, further streamlining their travel experience and making the country even more accessible for tourists.
The surge of Indian tourists to Sri Lanka has been notable, with India becoming the largest source of foreign visitors to the island. In October 2024, Indian nationals accounted for a significant 26.8% of all foreign arrivals, with nearly 36,000 Indian tourists visiting the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean.” In the first three weeks of November 2024 alone, 26,700 Indian tourists traveled to Sri Lanka, further solidifying India’s position as the largest market for Sri Lankan tourism. By comparison, the second-largest group of international tourists during this period came from Russia, accounting for just 7.6% of all foreign visitors.
This growing influx of Indian tourists has prompted the Sri Lankan government and businesses to focus more on catering to Indian travelers. The “Ramayana Trail” is a testament to this shift, not just in tourism offerings, but also in strengthening cultural and historical ties between the two countries. Through this initiative, Sri Lanka hopes to tap into the deep spiritual connection that Indian tourists feel toward the Ramayana while offering them an opportunity to explore the epic’s rich legacy within Sri Lanka’s borders.
As Sri Lanka continues to welcome increasing numbers of Indian tourists, initiatives like the “Ramayana Trail” are poised to play a key role in shaping the future of tourism between the two nations, fostering a deeper cultural exchange and ensuring the growth of Sri Lanka’s tourism industry.
