For the first time in the history of island’s tourism industry, Sri Lanka and India have decided to launch a joint extensive tourism promotion programme to attract more and more Chinese tourists to the Indian sub continent.


Minister of Tourism, Milinda Moragoda and HE Nirupama Rao, the current Indian Ambassador in Beijing had a discussion on this proposal and the Indian Embassy will support Sri Lanka’s campaign as a tourist destination while Sri Lankan Tourism will provide a special campaign to develop destination awareness.


The Ministry of Tourism and the institution under the Ministry are planning to organize a jointly coordinated event with the Indian Embassy by the end of this month to develop relationships with the Chinese.


It was revealed that Sri Lanka Tourism will continue to introduce the island destination in line with its familiar and veritable theme ‘Small Miracle’. Minister Moragoda also said that various exciting new ventures, attractions and the opening of exclusive resorts and hideaways will take place in Sri Lanka’s tourism scene during the coming period adding that Sri Lanka Tourism and all its partners intend to come back very strongly and positively.


The Ministry of Tourism also briefed the Indian Ambassador in Beijing on the measures taken by Sri Lanka to develop the tourism sector which include several private-public sector partnerships. China is one of the largest targeted markets for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, now providing around in between seven to ten thousand visitor arrivals. According to Chinese Tourism data there are more than 4.5 Million tourists visiting other countries annually. With this joint campaign Sri Lanka would expect arrival will increase soon and it will benefit the Indian sub continent.


The promotional efforts by Sri Lanka also include Sri Lankan cultural and folk music events that would be extended to several leading Chinese cites and India also has scheduled to organize South Indian Cultural shows.


The two countries also jointly addressed the subject of further strengthening collaboration in the field of tourism. It was felt that the approach of a partnership between the state and private enterprises could be reflected in the composition of the two delegations for the India-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group.  An area of special focus would be the circuit of Buddhist sites that is a key strand of the many links between the two nations.