Tuesday, 23 July 2013 00:40
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Travel Agent seminars were held in Osaka and Nagoya Hilton Hotels in Japan recently for large gatherings of travel agents in these cities.
The seminars were organised by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Tokyo in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.
Over 150 travel agents from these two cities participated at the seminars at which presentations were conducted on Sri Lanka as a lucrative destination for the traveller and being one of the safest destinations in the world today. Presentations were also conducted by the Sri Lankan Airlines office in Tokyo informing the participants of the services offered by the national carrier for Japanese travellers.
Ambassador Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda in addressing the gatherings at these seminars informed of the excellent bilateral ties shared by both countries and the cultural affinity that has grown stronger with each passing year. The Ambassador also highlighted Japanese assistance to develop infrastructure and promote tourism. Many Japanese travellers are now aware that Sri Lanka is an attractive destination and the strong tourism campaign currently proceeding in Japan conducted by the Embassy of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau has brought about very positive results. For the past six months there has been an increase of 32% of Japanese travellers visiting Sri Lanka. Ambassador Admiral Karannagoda invited all participants to visit Sri Lanka and also to start promoting the country as a key destination. Currently, The JTB travel agency, one of the largest in Japan is promoting Sri Lanka as a key destination for the years 2013 and 2014, which has further increased the progress and awareness of Sri Lanka tourism promotion in Japan. Familiarisation Tours for the travel agents were offered at these seminars with a selection of 40 travel agents from Osaka and Nagoya by a lucky draw at the end of the seminar. These tours will comprise of visits to important cultural and heritage sites and cities in Sri Lanka with familiarisation briefings in Sri Lanka on the potential of promoting Sri Lanka as a destination for the Japanese traveller. These Familiarisation tours will be conducted in collaboration with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Tokyo, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and Sri Lankan Airlines.
