- Indian arrivals grow by 26.8% in May

- Indo- Lanka trade cross $4 billion

- Tourism marketing investment to reach 250 million in 2015 

In the back drop of Indian arrivals clocking in a 38.2% growth in May and cumulative growth at 26.8% crossing the119,593 arrivals  barrier as at end May, Sri Lanka tourism met the hierarchy of Air India on the sidelines of the launch of the Air India direct flight from Delhi and signed up a joint promotion to target the top end of Delhi outbound traveller into Sri Lanka announced Sri Lanka tourism in a communique.

Air India - Manager Commercial Jaya Sharma, General Manager Marketing - Seema Srivastava, Executive Director Sales and Marketing Pankaj Kumar,Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism-Rohantha Athukorala, Director SCR Indrajith De Silva

The Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Rohantha Athukorala said trade between the countries have crossed four billion dollars which means that  we have very strong trading partnerships between the countries even though, the numbers are skewed in India's favour. With the partnership of Air India and Sri Lanka tourism we want to tap into the segment " trade tourism" where the premier class customers of Air India can be reached said Athukorala. The promotion will include special air fairs on business class, value upgrades on top end boutique hotels in Sri Lanka whilst for Sri Lanka tourism we will have access to the elite customers of Air India that can create awareness of the changing dynamics of the Sri Lankan product range said Athukorala. Once the promise we sell is understood attracting a quality customer will naturally happen asserted Athukorala.

The Executive Director Marketing for Air India Pankaj Kumar said the partnership is mutually beneficial as we can synergies the strengths of both entities whilst giving access to a Sri Lankan travellers to any part of India due to strong connectivity of Air India. We heard about the Ramayana Road show that Sri Lanka tourism is staging next month in India and also the participation of Sri Lanka Tourism at the two large Travel and Tourism fairs of IITM Bangalore and OTM Hyderabad in the month of July and August  which Air India will also support he said.

Sri Lanka Tourism is injecting 240 million rupees in 2015 as we want to target 335,000 travellers from India said Athukorala where the destination is registering a strong growth this month which augurs well for the country he said.  I am very excited to launch the promotion in July in New Delhi announced Athukorala.