SL participates in Busan International Travel Fair

Friday, 26 September 2014 01:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in South Korea, together with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, participated in South Korea’s second largest tourism fair, the 17th Busan International Travel Fair (BITF), which was held in the city of Busan from 12 to 15 September 2014. All major tourist destinations in Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, the Maldives, Philippines, China and Japan were represented at the fair. The event also attracted a number of international and national tourism organisations, including 119 local and 125 foreign exhibitors representing 44 countries, 16 of which were from Asia. Over the four days more than 100,000 individuals visited the fair which provided a prime opportunity for the Sri Lankan Embassy to promote Sri Lanka as a tourist destination for South Koreans. The Sri Lankan booth showcased major tourism themes through visual displays that captured the culture, heritage and scenic beauty of the island. Posters, brochures, guide books and other promotional materials, also in Korean, were available for visitors to view and read. Complimentary cups of Ceylon tea were also served to visitors. As a result, the booth earned high praise from visitors, winning the Best Tourism Publicity Award from BITF/ KOTFA. During 2012, South Korean tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka increased dramatically by 48% in comparison to the previous year. In 2013, direct flights by Korean Air between Colombo and Seoul, along with tourism promotional opportunities like the BITF, were established. During BITF, Aitken Spence Travels engaged in bilateral discussions with South Korean tour operators to establish commercial links.