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| Friday, 4 January 2002 |
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China next on Lanka's tourism map by Tharika Goonathilake The Sri Lanka Tourist Board together with Sri Lankan Airlines and the travel industry will take a closer look at tourism promotion opportunities in China this year. The Board, has already taken several promotional initiatives following the move by China to grant Sri Lanka, 'Approved Destination Status'. A delegation from the Chinese National Tourism Authority to pursue the matter at government level is expected soon. " We were able to hold a series of successful promotional events to coincide with the Kunming Trade Fair in China in November last year. Several other discussions were held with the China National Tourism Authority under the initiative of Sri Lanka's Ambassador in China Bernard Goonatilake. We are positive of its outcome," a senior official of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board told the 'Daily News Travel Page' yesterday. The official said that the Chinese Premier's visit to Sri Lanka last year was also a positive sign since the Premier had assured his government's support to promote tourism and sent a delegation from the Chinese Tourism Authority. He said that under Chinese regulations it is compulsory for countries to obtain approval before launching tourism promotional activities. At present only a limited number of countries including Sri Lanka have gained approval for destination promotional work in China. As preparatory measures, the Sri Lanka Tourist Board is also hoping to obtain the services of those fluent in Mandarin to train them as tourist guides. Crash courses on part time basis are also on the cards. Given predictions by the World Tourism Organisation that China would be the largest outbound and inbound tourist market in the world by 2020, it was vital to set the ground work to market the country at the initial stages, the Tourist Board official said. Domestic tourism constitutes the largest segment of the Chinese holiday industry. Traditionally, the upper classes have frequently travelled to escape the summer heat, visiting seaside and hill resorts but religious pilgrimages are very popular among the common people. However, these trends are now changing, with opportunities although restricted, being given for destination promotional through special approval status.
Hawk Travels has organised yet another ‘extended holiday’ tour for Sri Lankans and expatriates, covering exotic hill stations. And one lucky Daily News reader will get the chance to join this fascinating tour. All they have to do is answer a few simple questions, which will appear in the Daily News Travel Page from next week. The tour targets the February first week long holiday which includes National Day. It starts on February 2, with an overnight stay at Galway Forest Lodge, Nuwara Eliya. En route, the tour party will stop at Kitulgala, where David Lean’s Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed along the banks of the Kelani River. The highlight on February 3 will be a visit to Horton Plains (Maha Eliya) and Baker’s Falls. Overnight accommodation will be at Orient Hotel, Bandarawela.On National day, the group will visit the Adhisham monastery at Haputale and view the Bambarakanda Falls, the tallest in Sri Lanka. The River Garden, Belihuloya will be the setting for a late lunch, after which the tour party will return to Colombo. |
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A tour for the long weekend
