Sri Lanka_ Rebounding from a catastrophic economic crisis, Sri Lanka is on a path to stabilize its tourism industry, following a significant rise in tourists from all corners of the world. The Sri Lanka Tourism Minister Harin Fernando stated that a total of 2 million visitors from India are expected to arrive in 2023.
“Sri Lanka is experiencing a significant rise in tourist arrivals, particularly from India, which has now secured the top spot”, Minister Harin Fernando said.
The surge of visitors entering the island has seen an escalation in overall tourism earnings, with the country earning around USD 47.7 million more than last year, during the same time. Sri Lanka has earned a total of USD 530 million in the first quarter of 2023 welcoming 46,432 tourists around the nation.
Striving forward with an ambitious vision to strengthen both the Sri Lankan economy and the tourism trade, the Minister added, “We expect to generate a total of USD 3 billion in tourism revenue this year.”
In an effort to maintain bilateral and cultural ties with the neighboring nation of India, Sri Lanka tourism has initiated a series of Road Shows in key South Indian cities. These shows were instrumental in promoting destinations and tourism products in Sri Lanka. The Road Show’s first edition was held in Chennai on the 24th of April followed by Cochin on the 26th of April and finally ending in the city of Bangalore on the 28th of April.
A team of over 30 travel agencies and hotels from Sri Lanka led by the Minister of Tourism, Harin Fernando and accompanied by Mr. Chalaka Gajabahu, Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and Mr. Thisum Jayasuriya, Chairman Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, Ms. Shirani Herath, Junior Manager, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) and Ms. Malkanthi Welikla, Manager – Marketing, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau participated in this event.
Speaking at the event, the Minister highlighted the pivotal role played by the Indian outbound market in order to drive an upsurge of tourists to the reviving island nation. He further attributed that the country is abundant in an array of natural treasures and a range of tourist attractions including wellness and yoga, beaches, shopping, cuisine, adventure, and wildlife, in addition to a culture spanning 2500 years. Moreover, the Minister drew attention to the Ramayana circuit, a religious travel initiative, which could be of much interest to the Indian market.
