Sri Lanka Tourism to highlight 1706th Esala Perahera at Japan JATA World Expo 2015

• Some call it a must visit in one’s lifetime
• We must now tell this story to the world

JATA Tourism EXPO 2015 Japan, internationally recognised as one of the largest travel events in the world which presents Japan as a tourism nation to the world that not only attracts the leisure sector but also other industries will take place on 25 September in Tokyo. Sri Lanka as a country which has the highest number of celebrations will highlight one of the most colourful and grandest Buddhist festivals in the country known as the Esala Perahera at JATA Tourism Expo 2015.

“The Sri Lankan contingent of 26 key tourism industry professionals who will represent the country has recorded a flat arrival growth as at end August 2015 with 25,973 visitors. We must now focus on the market to attract 50,000 by mid-year 2016,” said Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau Chairman Dr. Rohantha Athukorala.

More popularly known at JATA it is considered one of the ideal forums to showcase varied destinations and for travel professionals to exchange travel information and conduct one-to-one business meetings, while inspiring consumers, said the official website of JATA 2015. The 2015 edition is said to attract 150 countries and regions and has the potential to directly interact with the 150,000 visitors said the conference organiser which is why Sri Lanka is taking a unique positioning. 

“We will showcase the Kandy ‘Esala Perahera’ recorded as one of the oldest parades in the world, held yearly and believed to commemorate the first teaching given by Lord Buddha after he attained enlightenment. This year’s edition saw 153 elephants and tuskers that were robed, illuminated and parade the streets in discipline leaving any spectator awestruck. Elephants – one of Sri Lanka’s five big mammals; majestic and gentle, add nothing but splendour to this grand festival,” said Dr. Athukorala.

The show stopper of the parade is the Tusker who walks in supreme grace and great pride carrying the glorious golden casket called the ‘Karaduwa’ sheltered with a canopy which contains the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha. The musicians, dancers and all participants of the parade are those taking over their duties from generation to generation. Families are bound by their faith and dedication to participate in this event year after year despite their residence and other career obligations. We now need to tell this wonderful story to the world,” he said.

The 2015 edition attracted around 15,000 visitors with over 25 media teams covering the perahera. A live feed of the event was transmitted to over 52 countries through the Asian Sat 5 satellite. The Kandy Dalada Maligawa, the governing body for the perahera and the temple in which the sacred tooth relic is kept, had a live stream of the event on their official website as well as YouTube and all other social media,” said Athukorala aiming to replicate the marketing model in Japan.