Anura invites Chinese holiday makers
 

Rodney Martinesz in Beijing

Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Promotions Minister Anura Bandaranaike yesterday invited Chinese holiday makers to visit Sri Lanka now that Sri Lanka has been granted approved destination status.

Addressing the China Investment Tourism and Travel Promotion seminar at the Kerry Centre in Beijing Minister Bandaranaike said that Sri Lanka had signed a tourism MoU that will further facilitate travel between the two countries.

"Sri Lanka has recorded 556,000 tourists in 2004 and we have a target of 600,000 tourists during this year. We work on realistic targets as we have always been in sustainable development. That is the secret of our success so far in tourism", Minister Bandaranaike told the gathering.

He said: (Travel between our two countries have been known for over 1000 years. More recently, Zheng He made at least 5 voyages to Sri Lanka. China celebrates the 600 year Anniversary of those voyages.

The first Trade Agreement signed by the People's Republic of China with a non-Communist country was the strategic Rubber-Rice Pact in 1952 with Sri Lanka and the Chinese Government built a conference hall and a convention centre after my parents which is a great tribute to our friendship which is unprecedented.

Our political trade, religious and other ties have thus been strong.

"So as I said, I am here to strengthen our relations through political and economic ties as the Minister holding two important portfolios, Foreign Affairs and Tourism".

World tourism has grown to an extent where it generates over 750 million tourist arrivals at present. Tourism in South Asia is also growing at 20% from its share of 8% of the world tourist arrivals. Therefore, the future of tourism is bright and Sri Lanka, having embarked on this industry in the sixties, has developed tourism making it a key contributor to the economy.

"Sri Lanka has a lot to offer beyond traditional attractions. We have gone beyond sun, sand, sea and surf. While securing the leisure holidays on the beaches, we have effectively taken advantage of what we can offer in terms of culture, nature, adventure and also MICE activities for the meetings industry.

So we have positioned Sri Lanka to be 'a land like no other'.

BOI Chairman Saliya Wickramasuriya also spoke.