Days after their national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines introduced direct Hyderabad-Colombo flights, travel and tourism representatives from Sri Lanka showcased the various product offerings for Indian tourists at a roadshow here.
As many as 28 travel and tour operators are participating, said Indrajith De Silva, Director, Destination and Social Responsibility of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.
Interacting with presspersons, in a hall teeming with stakeholders from the tourism industry, he said the roadshow served as an opportunity for the representatives to network with travel and tour operators in Hyderabad. Around one hundred such representatives from the city were expected to participate in the programme consisting of one-on-one meetings, presentation and workshop. Besides in the city, the Bureau had conducted such roadshows in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai this year, with the event in the southern metropolis held on Tuesday. It intended to take the roadshow to Pune next.
The roadshows, according to Mr.De Silva, are being organised to tap the travel agents to increase the flow of business. “The purpose is to enhance destination visibility among travel trade and consumers. It is to further consolidate Sri Lanka’s position as the preferred destination for Indian travellers in many segments, especially by exploring the whole island through ‘Ramayana Trail’ sites scattered around the country.”
Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau is expecting over 25% growth in the number of tourists from India, to 4.5 lakh, this year.
