Marked increase in European arrivals:
Tourism can recover lost market
There is a 32 percent increase in tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka in
January 2010, over the corresponding period in 2009.
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the European Union Ravinatha Aryasinha at
the launch of the BELASIA annual travel fair in Brussels last week said,
Belgians from all walks of life and cutting across age brackets were
regular visitors to Sri Lanka over the years.
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Asia Fair
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He expressed confidence that BELASIA would serve as a catalyst in
further promoting Sri Lanka in Belgium, as well as in other parts of
Europe.
Centered on Sri Lanka’s participation as the host country at the
BELASIA which projects over 25 Asian countries as a tourist destination,
it included tourism and travel promotion, a Sri Lanka Food festival,
performances by a Sri Lankan dance troupe and Sri Lankan lace, masks,
handicrafts and gem displays. Sri Lanka Tourism Managing Director,
Dileep Mudadeniya said that there is an increased demand with the
expected increase of air seats by the national carrier for Paris.
“Sri Lanka Tourism will be able to recover the lost market share from
Belgium in the past. Europe has come back strongly with an overall
increase of 36.3 percent in January 2010,” he said.
Europeans always look for sunny, warm weather with diversity. Sri
Lanka will be the ideal destination for them. It was extremely
encouraging to notice the renewed interest of the Belgian visitors for
the destination Sri Lanka. Also SriLankan Airlines got a very positive
feedback from visitors on the renewed non-stop operations between Paris
and Colombo from July 02, onwards.
Belgian travellers have always been privileged travelling via Paris,
either by train or coach. Therefore this reinstated non-stop service
comes exactly at the right time.
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