‘Mega Tourism Road Show in Russia and Ukraine’

Tourism is one of the important tools that could be used to eradicate poverty and uplift socio – economic strata of a nation and its people. For the last three years the industry has grown from strength to strength with 2012 recording an all time high arrivals of 1,005,605 thus making the island a popular tourist destination.

On the contrary, it is of utmost importance that the tourism industry and destination be promoted and advertized well in order to attract more tourist to the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” keeping in view the ambition of the government.

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Russian Federation is a forerunner, with the persevering efforts of Udayanga Weeratunga, in promoting the tourism industry of the island for last five years. Arrival of 51746 tourists from CIS countries in 2012 and been the fifth largest testify the efforts of the Embassy. With the objective of furthering the propagation of the tourism industry, the Embassy with the support of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau has organized a three week Tourism Promotional Campaign, the “Mega Tourism Road Show” in the Russian Federation and Ukraine covering Moscow, St Petersburg and Kiev.

The road show will commence on Martch 17 with the activation of the shopping mall “Mega Dybenko” in St Petersburg followed by three week long Mega Road Show in Moscow and Kiev. Major events conducted during the campaign are Shopping Mall Activation, Workshops on Sri Lankan Tourism, Cultural Shows, Photo Exhibitions, Press Conferences and participation of world renowned Travel and Trade Fairs; MITT – 2013 in Moscow , UITT – 2013 in Kiev and Ukrainian Travel Forum - 2013.

Main participants in the road show are the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Laksala, Siddhalepa, Srilankan Airlines and few well known travel and tourism companies. Partners of reputed Sri Lankan travel and tour companies in Russia and Ukraine are the foreign collaborators of the road show.