Sri Lanka Tourism welcomes JATA President

Sri Lanka Tourism this week formally welcomed Akira Kanai the President and the Executive Committee of Japan Association for Travel Agents (JATA).

Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Dr. Nalaka Godahewa and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Managing Director Rumy Jauffer welcomed them at a brief held at Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel Colombo.

With the aim of improving the tourism industry on mutual basis, JATA Chief and his team arrived on 12 November for five day tour.

The joint efforts made by Sri Lanka Tourism, SriLankan Airlines and the Sri Lankan Embassy in Tokyo  were behind to make JATA`s familiarization tour a reality.

Sri Lanka Tourism has made the logistical arrangements for the visit in collaboration with SriLankan Airlines, SLAITO and THASL.

“The visit of JATA Executive members to Sri Lanka is a major landmark of Japanese visitor promotions since JATA Executive Committee is the most influential body of the Japanese outbound travel,” Sri Lanka Tourism said.

“This visit will also provide an opportunity to promote the Sri Lankan Tourist products to the JATA members and thereby to send a positive message to the travel trade in Japan on local products,” it added. During the brief visit, the delegation, which is comprised of the heads of leading travel companies in Japan, is expected to visit Colombo, Pinnawala, Kandy, Dambulla, Sigirya, and Polonnaruwa areas.

Earlier too the former President of JATA has paid a visit to Sri Lanka on an invitation extended by the Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism.

Sri Lanka Tourism is also focused on developing the relationship between the travel trade of Japan and that of Sri Lanka furthermore via extended PR activities.

It is also to be noted that the Executive Committee`s visit is taking place at  a vital period  when Sri Lanka Tourism is implementing a focused marketing programme in the Japanese market, with the co-operation of the Government of Japan.