In past years, Sri Lanka made itself a popular destination for tourists by advertising its gorgeous beach resorts—Bentota, Negombo, Unawatuna and many others. At its peak in 2003, the Sri Lankan tourism industry drew 600,000 visitors to the island nation. However, in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, internal disturbances, and worldwide recession, tourist arrivals have dropped by an average of 20% per annum over the past five years.
In order to bolster tourism, the Sri Lanka Tourist Board and SriLankan Airlines are offeri
ng a new tourist package called the “Ramayana Trail”. The package will bring travelers to destinations in Sri Lanka connected with the ancient Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Those who purchase the package will see what is believed to be Rama’s bridge from a fiberglass boat, visit a lake formed by Sita’s tears, and delve into Ravana’s caves, in addition to touring nearly 50 other destinations related to the religious epic.So far, the Ramayana trail shows signs of success. A swami from north India brought 400 of his students on the trail, and groups of 50, 60, and 120 visitors are arriving in Sri Lanka to visit the Ramayana sites. The Ramayana trail promises to become an exciting new destination for Hindu groups.
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