French travel advisory relaxed

The French Government relaxed the travel advisory to Sri Lanka on October 2, allowing French tour operators and travel agents to resume selling travel packages to Sri Lanka with immediate effect.

This is seen as a very welcome move and positive step in opening Sri Lanka to tourists from France, particularly since the travel advisory map had earlier demarcated the areas in red and in orange which created confusion among many agents.

The colour has now been changed to green, allowing agents to sell Sri Lanka as they would any other destination.

This positive change is due to numerous and continuous efforts made by Sri Lanka Tourism and the industry to change the status of the advisory and eventually ensure that it would be totally relaxed.

A team from Sri Lanka Tourism led by the Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda participated in an impressive promotional effort which was held in France on September 11, when the results of an independent security audit was released.

Subsequent to this report, the Tour Operations Association in France immediately decided to open the destination.

Managing Director of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Dileep Mudadeniya, said: This is exactly what Sri Lanka Tourism requires at this moment, coming as it does at a time when a number of promotional activities are being organised to position Sri Lanka as a favoured destination.”

Another promotion saw the Sri Lanka Tourist Board, SriLankan Airlines and the travel industry join forces to launch a special package for the French market effective October 1, titled “Half Price for the Better Half.”

Considerable positive publicity and awareness of the wide variety and diversity of attractions Sri Lanka has to offer visitors would also be obtained through a mega Familiarisation Trip when 45 leading travel agents from France visit Sri Lanka on October 6.

“Their visit is a unique promotion organized by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board and SriLankan Airlines titled “Treasure Hunt” - a promotion that would prove to be both memorable, exciting and create tremendous awareness about all this island has to offer visitors,” Director - Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, France Ruvan De Alwis said.

Meanwhile, several leading markets in the Western Europe are relaxing the travel advisories prevailed during the recent pas.

The Netherlands travel advisory prevailed as Sri Lanka is “unsafe for travel” has now been softened with only a caution to the travellers.

Netherlands on an average generates 20,000 tourists annually. Further promotions targeting Netherlands market will be launched very soon.

UK and German markets are also now softening the travel advisories.