Sri Lanka Tourism, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, hosted an exclusive networking evening on a cruise over the Ganges River on July 10.
The event highlighted Sri Lanka’s diverse natural landscapes, vibrant cultural heritage to the travel trade and media of Kolkata through engaging discussions and presentations. Attendees were treated to a showcase of Sri Lanka’s varied attractions, ranging from pristine beaches to ancient temples, marking a new chapter of tourism excellence for the island nation.
Under the resonant tagline Sri Lanka – You’ll Come Back for More, the event aimed to entice Indian travellers by highlighting Sri Lanka’s diverse tourism offerings. The networking evening brought together around 300 of Kolkata’s travel agents, key figures in the industry, and media representatives, who engaged with a strong delegation led by 25 DMCs specialising in leisure and MICE as well as leading hotels, resorts, homestays, tour operators, and other service providers from Sri Lanka.
Furthermore, the extended visa-free entry for Indian nationals is expected to boost arrivals.
Sri Lanka has adopted an aggressive approach towards the Indian market by establishing a strong presence through multi-city B2B roadshows in Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Mumbai, and New Delhi. These efforts are complemented by participation in major travel trade shows like the Outbound Travel Mart in Mumbai and the South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange in New Delhi. The year-long marketing efforts will be intensified with participation in various travel exhibitions such as TTF-Kolkata and IITM-Bengaluru, IITM-Chennai and so on. Another round of B2B roadshows in other Tier-II markets is planned for September this year.
