The World Travel Market (WTM) was held in grand style in London, supposedly considered to be one of the leading global events in the Travel and Tourism trade. It saw a massive crowd of interested visitors, industry stakeholders and new inventors who were able to gain an extensive knowledge of the different cultures, authenticity and tourist attractions of the various countries which participated at the fair. This gala event was scheduled from 1st to 3rd of November 2021 at the Excel Exhibition Hall, London, UK, promoting international travel and leisure industry throughout the world. WTM was the biggest travel exhibition ever since the pandemic broke out and became a global threat across the globe. Nevertheless, the power of the pandemic did not seem to stop the enthusiasm and interest the participants had for this world class trade event.

The event also will be conducted in a new hybrid format and they will have a virtual event taking place the week after, which is on 8th November to 9th November 2021.Across the two days, the virtual event will feature conference sessions, networking sessions and one-to-one meetings. This will be a novel experience for those who participate at the event, to exchange their views and perceptions regarding the travel and tourism trade and make suggestions for its progress. Ms.Kimarli Fernando , chairperson Sri Lanka Tourism , held several discussions with UK Travel Industry participants , to add more value to Sri Lanka’s participation. Attractive gift tokens and packages were also handed over to the visitors by Chairperson, who wanted a different experience with their holiday making. The Sri Lanka stand itself was a sight to see with it vibrant mix of colors and skillfully designed artwork.

This year, Sri Lanka tourism participated at the WTM travel show with leading 20 companies from the travel and hospitality trade. Sri Lanka Tourism had a beautiful stand constructed showcasing it’s cultural and natural identity including a diverse range of products range which the country has to offer. A Cultural dance troupe flown in from Sri Lanka entertained the visitors who were quite amused by its cultural glamour and traditional style. The opening ceremony of the Sri Lanka stand at WTM travel fair UK was held on 1st of November under the guidance of Ms. Kimarli Fernando, the Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Tourism, together with the leading industry members of Sri Lanka Travel Trade, leading stakeholders from the British travel industry and the members of the Sri Lanka High Commission in the UK. The colorful Sri Lanka pavilion offered a variety of choices for the visitors to consider about selecting Sri Lanka as their next holiday destination. The visitors who came to the pavilion were amazed by the numerous handicraft items, handlooms, artwork and information about the destination, which was indeed a new experience. The turquoise blue beaches to the lush greenery of the rolling tea estates in the upcountry, generated a soothing and a beautiful picture within their minds. Sri Lanka not only has its cultural and natural aspects, but also an adventure, film and wedding tourism destinations which offers a wide selection of locations to suit your choice. Of course, one cannot miss the spicy taste of its authentic and delectable cuisine, tantalizing your taste buds. With all these luxuries in offer, Sri Lanka is one destination which the British visitors will definitely love.

Representation of Sri Lanka Tourism was widely spread among the global travel events at the fair throughout the 3days of the event. The chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism addressed the conference program organized by the PATA on the topic of “East Meets West: Restarting Travel and the Lessons Learned Along the Way” , parallel to that ,she also participated as a speaker at the panel discussion on “Revive and Thrive: Tourism PR in a Post-Pandemic World”. Thus she was able to share her views and knowledge on how to build up tourism according to the needs and choices of the modern traveller.

This will be one of the main promotional events focused on the UK market which is one of the key markets for Sri Lanka after the pandemic. By participating at the WTM Sri Lanka hopes to bring back the global recognition which it earned as one of the worlds No: 01 tourism hotspots, enabling international travelers to come and visit the destination, to have the perfect holiday of their choice, with the myriad of travel and holiday opportunities which it has to offer.