Agents sing Sri Lanka praises

Sri Lanka’s popularity as a leisure destination for Australian visitors was cemented earlier this week with sold-out crowds attending the tourism bureau’s Melbourne roadshow, the first of three national events to be held in May.

With 75 attendees from leading wholesalers and travel agents based in Victoria the event show cased Sri Lanka as a destination to the Australian travel trade.

Tourism stands as the fourth largest foreign exchange earner for Sri Lanka increasing steadily to 1.8m tourists in 2015. Australian arrivals have also risen in the ranks to become the seventh biggest market with almost 64,000 visitors to its shores last year, with the tourism board slating an increase to 70,000+ this year.

The move has encouraged local tourism operators to develop new product specifically aimed for the market, and put increased efforts to educate Australian travel trade on the diversity of the country’s leisure offerings.

This year’s delegation included 28 Sri Lankan travel trade ranging from boutique to large tourism operators, hotels and airline partners who are set to travel to Brisbane today and Sydney on Monday following Tuesday’s Melbourne-packed event.

Focusing on eight key aspects of pristine, heritage, scenic, wild, essence, bliss, festive and thrills, delegates showcased there was indeed “something for every type of traveller” when visiting Sri Lanka.

“Sri Lanka has a diverse range of offerings many don’t realize, but there truly is something for everyone. Whether that’s for individuals or families, travellers on a budget or those seeking something exotic, now is the time to visit with easy access and value for money experiences available,” Madubhani Perera, Director / Marketing Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau told I

A big drawcard to Sri Lanka remains for sporting fans, in particular those fond of cricket, by giving access to travellers to play on international grounds for a fraction of the cost comparable to other destinations, according to Rumesh Rathnayake, a former test-cricketer and Managing Director of Crusaders Sports & Leisure Tours.

“Australians love to come to Sri Lanka to play cricket and to say you’ve played on the same grounds as Shane Warne, an experience you can’t have anywhere else in the world for the same price,” he told Travel Weekly.

In addition to cricket, the country’s pristine beaches are quickly gaining momentum and international fame from sand and surf enthusiasts.

“Adventure tourism to Sri Lanka is becoming increasingly popular at one of the best surfing destinations being Arugam Bay, but there’s also trekking, white water rafting, mountain biking, golfing, hot air ballooning and whale watching offered throughout the country,” Perera said.

With global well-known chains dotted throughout the country, Sri Lanka has no shortage of accommodation offerings but in recent years has seen a surge in high-end boutique style hotels.

Two distinctive Aman properties in Galle and Tangalle are said to be increasingly popular options for Australians seeking a luxe getaway from city life in Colombo, meanwhile the Madulkelle Tea & Eco Lodge, situated amongst tea plantations, positions itself as a ‘glamping’ experience for honeymooners and those wanting an authentic Sri Lankan wilderness experience.

Ease of access into and across Sri Lanka is one of the government’s key focus areas for development, according to Perera, with a number of airports and highways linking popular destinations due to open. Australians can fly into Sri Lanka via connections from Delhi on Air India’s direct Australian departures ex Sydney and Melbourne, or from Singapore to Colombo via multiple Australia gateways on Singapore Airlines.

Numerous lucky Melbourne travel trade attendees took home prizes courtesy of Sri Lankan delegates, including four tickets to experience the destination firsthand with support from airline partners Singapore Airlines and Air India.

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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