SriLankan ‘Most Dynamic Exhibitor’ at SATTE

AWARD: Reinforcing its leading position in India, SriLankan Airlines won ‘The Most Dynamic Participant and Exhibitor’ award at the recent South Asia Travel and Tourism Expo (SATTE), New Delhi.

SATTE 2007 attracted the largest participation since the first SATTE in 1994, registering around 250 international buyers from 38 countries and 400 Indian exhibitors in 540 stalls, representing a few hundred exciting tourism products and services.

Recognising India’s unprecedented growth in both inbound and outbound traffic, SriLankan Airlines opted to

 participate as an independent exhibitor attracting many travel industry leaders, individual visitors and media.

The criteria for award selection comprised the seller’s ability to reach and invite buyers; its creativity and positioning; and the booth’s ability to attract visitors and provide them with relevant information.

SriLankan’s commitment and confidence in the Indian market with its presence at SATTE, was also a factor that led to the award presenters’ decision.

The booth attracted visitors to participate in exciting quiz promotions. SriLankan has embarked on a dynamic promotional effort to woo travellers to and from India.

“SriLankan Airlines greatly appreciates this recognition by SATTE.

The airline gives high priority to India and we are hoping to reach our goal of operating 100 flights a week to India soon and look for the opportunities to operate to more destinations in the future,” said Regional Manager, Indian Subcontinent and the Maldives Senaka Fernando.

On the invitation of SATTE, SriLankan flew in tour operators from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing and Colombo specially to promote Buddhist pilgrim traffic to India.

Introducing a unique concept, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation announced the commencement of the Maha Parinirvan Special Train Service on March 28.

This service plying between Delhi and Bodh Gaya has been designed to offer Buddhist pilgrims a trip towards spiritual fulfillment of the Maha Parinirvan. For information on the train service, log on to: www.irct.co.in

India’s domestic growth is fuelling demand for international travel and is estimated to cross the 10 million mark in 2007.

With over a billion population and a middle class of around 300 million, India’s air travel sector has been growing around 40 to 50 per cent in the last two years.