Mumbai, February 20, 2017. Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau conducted a road show for the travel trade and wedding planners in Mumbai, with an aim to increase footfalls to the emerald island. The road show saw an attendance of 27 participants from Sri Lanka comprising of leading travel companies and hoteliers besides the national carrier, SriLankan Airlines.

Speaking about India as a market, a spokesperson for Sri Lanka Tourism said, “India is a very important market for us. We have seen an annual rise in arrival numbers from India over the years. The road show was conducted to increase destination awareness and highlight the new attractions in Sri Lanka. We hope this event will add a positive impact and further increase Indian footfall in Sri Lanka. Further we have planned several promotional activities for Indian markets”

Apart from the road show in Mumbai, the SLTPB has plans of conducting road shows in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune later in the year. The promotion plans for 2017 also include joint promotions with international partners and a digital marketing campaign targeting potential Indian travelers. Sri Lanka received a 12.8% increase in Indian tourist arrivals in 2016 and are expecting an even better double digit increase in 2017.

The roadshow received an overwhelming response as a large number of agents & wedding planners attended the event. It was a new experience for the participants of both countries, as it gave an opportunity of exchanging innovative ideas and details about their destinations. Sri Lanka is already becoming a highly preferred destination among most Indians, and also comprising of beautiful film locations. Sri Lanka has been the attraction of several Indian films, and also an iconic location for the film ‘’ Bridge on the River Kwai’’. With information provided by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, the Indian counterparts had a clear view of where to choose for the most important day of their lives, and have the best holiday experience, both nations sharing similar cultures, and a similar geographical background.