SL’s revolutionary thrust will guarantee 20% to 30% increase in tourists

Indian Outbound Tour Operators Association Chairman Subash Goyal noted that the campaign has already started a buzz in the city, where people have already started talking about Sri Lanka. “With Bombay being the commercial capital, it is very important because there is already a demand after the IIFA and the television exposure on the country,” he told the Daily FT.

With the promotional activities of SriLankan Airline and the Tourism Board, along with Sri Lanka travel trade Sri Lanka can expect a 20% to 30% increase in the tourism numbers this year,” Goyal asserted.

Commenting that the new campaign was a ‘beautiful revolutionary attack’ he complimented Sri Lanka Tourism for the branding campaign. Having promoted Sri Lanka since 194/5 from Air Ceylon days, he assured that sending tourists to Sri Lanka was a beneficial one to any Indian travel company as it guarantees repeat customers. “They get fascinated by your attractions. There is so much to see.”

He quipped, “Double your money, and go to Sri Lanka. There is no match fixing, no spot fixing, your Rupee is worth two times more in Sri Lanka. The country has the world’s best beaches, and the friendliest people. It has the best gems. It is also the most productive place, honeymoon couples who go there get not one but sometimes two kids. Must be the spices there or what the mix in the coconut ‘sambol’. It is very romantic, the more you go to Sri Lanka, the more you want to go again.”

He also urged more companies to build factories in Sri Lanka, save money in Sri Lanka and to use Sri Lanka as a MICE destination. “There was a time when Sri Lanka had about 100 flights to India. Now there are about 80 destinations.” He noted Gujrat as a very good market, along with other destinations in Northern India like Punjab, and Amritsar commenting that these travellers are high spenders.

Just like India being important to Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka is as important to India, Goyal said noting that Sri Lankans are number three in incoming tourists to the country. Sri Lankans are targeted mainly for religious tourism, in particular Buddhist tourism. With Mihin Lanka starting flights in the winter season to Buddhagaya and Varnasi, 99% of the flights are full only from Sri Lanka he said.

“We have organised very cheap programs under ‘On the footsteps of Lord Buddha.’ This package includes visiting Buddhagya, Sarnath, Kushi Nagar, Kapilawastu, Lumbini and back. As 70% of Sri Lankans are Buddhists, as far as I know, every Sri Lankan would like to visit these places at least once before they die,” Goyal said.

CM