SriLankan redoubles efforts to bring more Indian tourists
Despite unrest in certain parts in the country SriLankan Airlines was
able to draw 100,000 Indian tourists and maintained 100 flights during
2007.
It is expected to double this strength during this year said the Head
of Worldwide Passenger Sales Manoj Gunawardene.
SriLankan Airlines has redoubled its efforts aimed at bringing more
tourists to Sri Lanka from India, in support of the country's tourism
industry.
Head of Worldwide Passenger Sales, Manoj Gunawardena, said: "We are
fully focused on our responsibility as the National Carrier to support
our own tourism industry, although the airline itself has a thriving
business in transit passengers travelling through our hub in Colombo."
SriLankan's most recent promotion in India offers discounted fares
throughout the month of February for Indian travellers below the age of
27 to enjoy exciting holidays in Sri Lanka.
One condition of the offer is that travellers must spend a minimum of
three days in Sri Lanka.
The airline has invested heavily in recent years in publicising Sri
Lanka as a destination in India, drawing attention to its value for
money shopping, wide range of cuisine, superior hotels and convention
facilities, cultural wonders, and diverse climates and landscapes.
SriLankan Airlines is the only international carrier to have 100
flights per week to India, serving 11 cities there - New Delhi, Mumbai,
Chennai, Trichy, Trivandrum, Cochin, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa,
Coimbatore and Calicut.
Regional Manager Indian Subcontinent and Maldives Senaka Fernando,
said: "India is the largest country of origin of tourists to Sri Lanka,
having replaced our earlier traditional markets in Europe every year
since 2005."
More than 100,000 Indians visited in 2007, a number that Sri Lanka
Tourism says is expected to double in the next two years.
The airline is focusing attention on the short flying time, with
Colombo being only about an hour away from its six destinations in South
India.
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