Tourism road show events to promote Sri Lanka to industry stakeholders of Benelux region

With ever increasing tourist arrivals from The Netherlands and Belgium, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) successfully concluded two road show events in Amsterdam and Belgium to promote the island to potential tourism industry stakeholders of both regions. 16 industry members from Sri Lanka joined the bureau to meet and contract with potential agents and operators from both countries to meet the increasing demands of tourist arrivals from the region.

Lighting the oil lamp: SLTPB Assistant Director Marketing Shenali Gunawardane, Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators President Devindre Senaratne, Ambassador for Sri Lanka in The Netherlands A.M.J. Sadiq, SLTPB Director Marketing Madubhani Perera, Ms Tourism Sri Lanka International title winner Vera Dijkstra, Senior hotelier/ Connaissance de Ceylan Chairman Chandra Wickramasinghe and SLTPB Board Member Mahen Kariyawasan

Sri Lanka Tourism welcomed invitees from various tour operators, travel agencies, DMCs, MICE experts and media at the NH Grand Krasnapolsky hotel in the heart of Amsterdam on 15 March. The event had been inaugurated by lighting the traditional oil lamp amidst the sounds of ‘magulbera’ by invitees and industry members from Sri Lanka. The Ambassador for Sri Lanka in The Netherlands A.M.J. Sadiq delivered the welcome speech with a brief introduction to the long standing Dutch connections and its heritage sites still remaining in Sri Lanka for visitors to see. 

A beautiful addition to the event was the presence of the title winner of Ms Tourism Sri Lanka International, Miss Netherlands herself. A very candid and bubbly person who shared her experiences of Sri Lanka from the heart with the invitees who were not only mesmerised by her beauty but a true endorsement for Sri Lanka from one of their own. 

Lighting the oil lamp: Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators President Devindre Senaratne, SLTPB Board Member Mahen Kariyawasan, Minister Commercial and Economic Affairs Sri Lanka Embassy in Belgium Gothami Silva, Ms Tourism Sri Lanka International title winner Vera Dijkstra, SLTPB Director Marketing Madubhani Perera, Deputy Head of Mission Sri Lanka Embassy in Belgium Maxwell Keegle and SLTPB Assistant Director Marketing Shenali Gunawardane

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Director Marketing Madubhani Perera, in detail presented to the audience the authentic, diverse and unique tourism products, attractions and experiences available in Sri Lanka to a traveller. She also highlighted infrastructure growth in the country to support our arrival targets, accessibility, international chains starting up operations in Sri Lanka and endorsements received by a number of top rated travel publications for the destination.

The Netherlands has been growing since 2015 as a source market for Sri Lanka Tourism with numbers increasing at a pace of almost 50% for the first two months of 2016. “Sri Lanka is excelling in tourism however, markets such as the Dutch travellers are emerging and growing at a remarkable pace and this is the ideal time to not only promote the destination in this region but also to create a platform for Sri Lankan industry members to span out their business,” said SLTPB Director Marketing Madubhani Perera.

The road show in Brussels was held on 17 March at Pullman Hotel with proceedings similar to that of The Netherlands followed by networking sessions with the Sri Lankan companies and the invitees. The event was graced by Ambassador for Sri Lanka in Belgium Rodney M. Perera who went on to further elaborate the uniqueness of the island as a tourist destination and the importance of the Belgium market as a source market for Sri Lanka Tourism. The event was also attended by the Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in Belgium Monique De Decker-Deprez.

The highlight of both events was the attendance of over 60 travel industry stakeholders from each country for the B2B meetings with the Sri Lankan operators and hoteliers held at each event. It was a complete success where a number of potential business contracts were made. Media coverage was also received by a number of media personnel who attended the events, giving Sri Lanka prominence on a number of online and offline publications.

This was the first time a business forum of sorts has been organised in the Benelux region and Sri Lanka Tourism was able to create awareness, interest and promote the destination amongst those who are able to bring in the arrival numbers. Aitken Spence, Jetwing Travels, Walkers Tours, Vivanta by Taj, Shangrila’s Hambantota resort & spa, Airwing tours, Journeyscapes Travels, Andrew the travel company, Connaissance de ceylan, Sunway holidays, Galle Face Hotel, Sri Lanka holidays.net, Ayubowan travels and tours, Lanka Sportreizen, Ratnaloka Paradise tours and Ceylon tours were the Sri Lankan industry partners who joined the road show events.    

Sri Lanka being an all year around tourist destination has made the island a desirable place to the vast variety of tourist categories in the region. Sri Lanka has become a new discovery as a destination in both markets, mainly as it is a safe destination to visit due to the inability to travel to destinations in the Mediterranean.