Anura special guest on inaugural Beijing flight

Industries, Investment Promotions and Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike and Tourism Ministry's Secretary Dr. P. Ramanujam will be special guests of SriLankan Airlines inaugural flight to Beijing tomorrow.

The direct airlink between Beijing and Colombo has been promoted by Sri Lanka Tourism. This opens the access to Sri Lanka for the ever increasing outbound market in China which is estimated to be over 10 million, Media Secretary, Industries, Investment Promotions and Tourism Minister said.

Synchronising this event, Chinese Foreign Minister Le Zaho Xing whose birth place is Qingdao city, invited Bandaranaike to inaugurate the Qingdao Tourism International Expo to be held in Qingdao City.

The Minister will also inaugurate the Beijing International Tourism Expo in Beijing on June 22, where Sri Lanka Tourist Board and 12 leading tour companies from Sri Lanka will participate.

BITE is an annual tourism expo held in Beijing and one of the major tourism events in this part of the world.

During his stay in Beijing, the Minister will discuss with the Chairman, China National Tourism Agency to seek their cooperation to promote Sri Lanka as a tourist destination for Chinese tourists.

Bandaranaike is scheduled to meet the Chinese Minister of Commerce to discuss matters of mutual interest and promote more Chinese investment in Sri Lanka.

A meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister is also scheduled where bilateral relation between the two countries will be discussed.