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Monday, 29 August 2011 00:29 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The first group of pilgrims comprising 61 Indonesians arrived in Sri Lanka flying Mihin Air. They are here for meditation as per the invitation made by Nauyane Ariya Dhamma Thero. The main aim of this visit is to learn and practice meditation from the Thero and the group plans to visit Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Sigiriya, Kandy and the Kelaniya Temple in order to see the most important places of Buddhist pilgrim tours, while combining this with Buddhist sites in India.
The Ambassador to Sri Lanka in Indonesia Major General Nanda Mallawaarachchi and the Ministry of External Affairs and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau were involved to facilitate the group’s visit to Sri Lanka. From a tourism point of view, this will be a good initiative to promote Sri Lanka in Indonesia and reconfirms the prospects of the development of ‘spiritual tourism’ especially in meditation, while promoting other niche segments to attract more tourists from Indonesia with the start of new flight operations between Indonesia and Sri Lanka by Mihin Air – Picture by Kumarasiri Prasad, Airport Correspondent