SL to woo French tourists at IFTM Top Resa in Paris 

• 20 leading companies join Tourism Minister and Sri Lanka Tourism Chief in a bid to revive post-COVID tourism
• Promotion at travel fair from 5-8 Oct. comes ahead of launch of direct flights by Air France and SriLankan Airlines

By Charumini de Silva

Sri Lanka will participate at the International French Travel Mart (IFTM) Top Resa, the leading multi-segment trade show, today.

Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga-led top-level delegation arrived in Paris yesterday to participate at the four-day travel mart, after a one-year break from physical engagement at global trade fairs.

Ahead of the winter season, Sri Lanka will make a fresh effort to woo tourists from its traditional markets.

Ranatunga is also scheduled to hold discussions with the French Tourism Minister and Air France officials to promote tourism.

National Carrier SriLankan Airlines will launch direct flights from 31 October, while Air France will start from 1 November, where both airlines will operate thrice weekly flights between Colombo and Paris.

Minister Ranatunga will also meet French and Sri Lankan businessmen on exploring and furthering investment opportunities in the country.

Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando, a member of the Tourism Advisory Committee and the official handling the France market at Sri Lanka Tourism, will participate at IFTM representing the State sector. 

In addition, around 20 private sector companies have confirmed participation at the IFTM Top Resa from 5-8 October at Paris Porte de Versailles (VIPARIS) in Paris – France. 

These firms include: Aitken Spence Travels, Airwing Tours, Authenticities Ltd., Ayubowan Tours and Travels Ltd., Ceylon Tours, Cinnamon Hotels, Connaissance De Ceylan Ltd., Green Tours & Resort, Kanwel Holidays Ltd., Lanka Holiday Destination Ltd., Lanka Sportreizen, Let’s Travels, Lion Royal Tourisme, Nkar Travels & Tours Ltd., Shanthi Travels and Walkers Tours Ltd.

Around 200 destinations, 1,700 brands, 34,000 tourism professionals and 150 conference sessions have been lined up for this year’s IFTM. 

France was one of the first countries to permit travel to Sri Lanka, in early August.

Sri Lanka’s classification changed from Red to Orange in France last month. The move allows fully vaccinated French travellers to visit Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans to visit France with a European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved vaccination, which includes Pfizer and Covishield.

The industry hopes French travellers will return to their “favourite tropical destination” this winter. 

France is the fifth largest outbound market for expenditure, and Sri Lanka on an average attracts around 4.5% of that segment. During the first eight months of 2021, 1,175 French tourists visited Sri Lanka, accounting for 5% of the tourist traffic to the country, but down 95% from the same period a year earlier. 

According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), in 2019, there were 87,623 inbound French tourists to Sri Lanka despite the Easter Sunday attacks, and that number is higher still in 2018 with 106,499 tourists.

Tourist arrivals in the first eight months were 24,377 – a welcome development since the reopening of borders on 21 January, but down 95% from the corresponding period last year. Tourist arrivals in August sharply increased by 107% to 5,040 from July, despite the ongoing third wave of the COVID-pandemic. 

Europe became the largest source region, accounting for 15,637 of the total tourist traffic received in the first eight months, while the Asia Pacific and the Americas accounted for 5,506 and 2,670 tourists respectively.