A major milestone in this marketing campaign is a networking cocktail on a Ganges boat in Kolkata on July 10, 2024. A large delegation from Sri Lanka, comprising the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB), the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), and about 30 destination management companies, premier hotels, resorts, homestays, tour operators, and other service providers from Sri Lanka, will network with travel agents and industry leaders in Kolkata at this event.
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- Top Source Market: India remains the top source market for Sri Lanka, with around 200,000 Indian visitors so far in 2024, accounting for 18% of all visitors.
- Networking Event: A significant networking cocktail event took place on a Ganges boat in Kolkata on July 10, 2024, involving a large Sri Lankan delegation and Indian travel industry leaders.
- B2B Roadshows: Sri Lanka held several B2B roadshows and networking events in June 2024 in Indore, Vadodara, and Surat to promote itself as a year-round travel destination.
- Economic Impact: Sri Lanka’s tourism industry generated over USD 1.25 billion in the first four months of 2024 and over USD 2 billion in 2023.
- Visa-Free Travel: The expansion of visa-free travel for Indian tourists is expected to help achieve the goal of attracting 2.5 million visitors by the end of 2024.
- Tourism Income: Tourism is the third-largest source of income for Sri Lanka, with the sector now including sports, culture, spirituality, history, and beach tourism.
- MICE Tourism: Sri Lanka is increasingly popular as a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) destination, with MICE tourism expected to generate over USD 550 million in revenue in 2024.
- Flight Connectivity: Travel between Sri Lanka and nine Indian cities is facilitated by 95 flights, enhancing convenience for Indian tourists.
- UPI Integration: The integration of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for seamless transactions adds to the convenience and appeal of Sri Lanka as a vacation destination.
- International Presence: Sri Lanka has been actively participating in significant travel trade events like SATTE, OTM, the World Travel Market in London, ITB in Germany, and the Arabian Travel Mart in Dubai to strengthen its tourism market.
This networking event seeks to strengthen ties between India and Sri Lanka by promoting profitable collaborations in the travel and tourism industry. With 198,161 Indian tourists visiting Sri Lanka between January and July 7, 2024, the spike in Indian travelers has been a major factor in the rise in tourist arrivals. Currently, eighteen percent of all visitors to Sri Lanka are from India.
To build a strong brand presence in India, Sri Lanka held a number of B2B roadshows and networking events in June 2024 in Indore, Vadodara, and Surat. These events sought to promote Sri Lanka as a year-round travel destination by drawing more tourists from Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. These events strengthened the relationship between Sri Lanka and the United States by showcasing the country’s diverse attractions and growing tourist industry.
The Minister of Tourist, Lands, Sports, and Youth Affairs, Harin Fernando, thanked India for its ongoing assistance in advancing Sri Lanka’s tourist industry. He emphasized the economic recovery and prosperity of Sri Lanka, pointing out that the country’s tourist industry generated more than USD 1.25 billion in the first four months of 2024 and over USD 2 billion in 2023. Additionally, he emphasized that the expansion of visa-free travel for Indian tourists would help achieve the objective of drawing 2.5 million visitors by 2024.
The chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Chalaka D. Gajabahu, emphasized the importance of tourism, pointing out that it is the island’s third-largest source of income. He observed that the industry has expanded to include sports, culture, spirituality, history, and beach tourism. Through B2B roadshows and participation in significant travel trade events like South Asia’s Travel & Tourism Exchange (SATTE) and Outbound Travel Mart (OTM), Sri Lanka has been firmly entrenched in India since 2023. Significant events in the West and the Middle East, such as the World Travel Market in London, ITB in Germany, and the Arabian Travel Mart in Dubai, have also been included in the approach.
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The chairman of the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, Thisum Jayasuriya, emphasized the country’s increasing popularity as a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) destination. He emphasized India’s position as a major target market for MICE tourism and acknowledged the success of the third MICE exhibition in May 2024. In 2023, the MICE industry accounted for 9.5% of all tourist arrivals; by 2024, it is anticipated that this figure would have increased to 12%. The target is for MICE tourism to generate over USD 550 million in revenue in 2024 and US D1.36 billion by 2026.
Travel between Sri Lanka and nine Indian cities is easy because of the 95 flights that link them. Furthermore, the convenience and allure of Sri Lanka as a vacation destination are increased by the incorporation of India’s UPI for seamless transactions and the possibility for Indian visitors to spend in Rupees.
The future of bilateral tourism between Sri Lanka and India is bright and lucrative, as the two nations continue to welcome Indian visitors with open arms.
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