Sri Lanka's Mattala Airport Promoted at Travel Trade Show Berlin ITB. Number of Sri Lankan Travel & Tour and Hotel Firms Take Part in the Trade Fair

06th March 2012, www.dailynews.lk, By Shirajiv Sirimane

For the first time the Mattala International Airport would be marketed at the Travel Trade Show Berlin (ITB) as a strong team from the Aviation Authority is attending it. In addition a strong Sri Lankan contingent would be participating at the ITB which will begin tomorrow in Berlin, Germany. Speaking to Daily News Business, Airports and Aviation Services Limited (AASL), Chairman Prasanna Wickramasuriya said “ITB is the world's leading travel trade show and we intend to market passenger, cargo, courier and charter segments of the Mattala International Airport in Germany and other international markets in general through this year's ITB in Berlin.”

Travel and tourism accounts for 258 million jobs globally. At US $ 6 trillion (9.1% of GDP) the sector is a key driver for investment and economic growth and at a global level. It is larger than the automotive industry at 8% GDP, and just smaller than banking at 11%.

Raimund Hosch, CEO Messe Berlin GmbH, will welcome around 4,500 international industry representatives at the opening event.

Among those due to speak are Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Klaus Laepple, President of the German Tourism Industry (BTW).


Mounir Fahkri Abdel Nour, the Egyptian Minister for Tourism, will speak on behalf of Egypt, the partner country of ITB. “Our key challenge in the industry is to stimulate jobs and investment, eliminating barriers to travel such as visa restrictions, taxation, and outmoded infrastructure systems.

I am confident that these issues will be addressed at Europe's premier travel trade fair - ITB Berlin. It is the key place to learn about new trends, market developments, and to deepen existing business relations,” he said.

The following companies would participate in the event:

Airwing Tours, Aitken Spence Travels (Pvt) Ltd, Amaya Leisure PLC, Andrew the Travel Company (Pvt) Limited, Asian Adventures, Asian Exotica Ltd, Asian Wings, Barberyn Ayurveda Resorts, CCC Solutions (Pvt) Limited, Ceylon Tea Trails (Pvt) Ltd, Ceylon Tours Limited, Citrus Leisure PLC, Colombo Fort Hotels Limited, Columbus Tours Pvt Ltd, Connaissance De Ceylan Pvt Ltd, Crystal Holidays (Pvt) Ltd, Eco Team (Pvt) Ltd, Get Into Lanka Travels and Tours (Pvt) Ltd, Goldi Sands Hotels Limited, Hawk Travels Pvt Ltd, Hayleys Tours, Heritage Expediciones (Pvt) Ltd, Hilton Colombo, Hotel Clarion, JF Tours and Travels, Jetwing Hotels Ltd, Jetwing Travels, JourneyScapes (Pvt) Ltd, Koggala Beach Hotel, Lanka Holidays.net, Lanka Sportreizen, Let's Travels (Pvt) Ltd, LOLC Leisure, Mahaweli Reach Hotel, Mandara Hotels and Rosen Tours, Mount Lavinia Hotel / Club Bentota, NKAR Travels and Tours (Pvt) Ltd, Oasis Ayurveda, Orient Tours, Pigeon Island Beach Resort, Ramada Colombo, Serendib Leisure Management Limited, Serene Pavillion (Pvt) Ltd, Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort, Sunway Holidays, Taj Hotels - Sri Lanka, Tangerine Group of Hotels, Tangerine Tours Ltd, Taprospa Spa's and Resort and Mackwood Travels, The Blue Water, The Fortress, Uga Resorts and United Holidays (Pvt) Ltd, and Walkers Tours Limited.


Related Info :

• Sri Lanka's Mattala International Airport to be Ready in 2012. Hambantota Airport will be an Alternative to BIA, Colombo

• Japan Finnaces Sri Lanka Airport Expansion. Bandaranaike International Airport Sees Congestion Amid a Boom in Air Traffic

SriLankan Airlines Taps North American Tourism. USA-Canada Tour Operator Familiarisation Tour Organised

11th October 2010, www.dailymirror.lk

SriLankan Airlines on Friday expressed interest to break into the North American market by 2011 to meet the increased demand in tourism.

The move is whilst increasing inbound tourism from that country could also set the pace for similar action in other countries that have a high tourism potential but still remain untapped.

Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines Manoj Gunawardena speaking at a media conference organised to announce the completion of the USA-Canada tour operator familiarisation tour said the airline was looking at possibilities to penetrate the North American market.

Claiming that measures were being taken to identify and bring in new types of tourists to Sri Lanka moving away from the traditional tourists the country has been trying to attract over the years. Gunawardena stated that the tourist potential in many destinations which have not yet made it to the country's 'top 10 tourism generating markets' were now being analysed. In keeping with this trend, markets such as China and Russia which are fairly new to Sri Lanka will see aggressive promotional campaigns by the airline.

According to Sri Lanka Tourism statistics 2344 tourists from North America have arrived in the island in the month of September this year, which is an increase of 42.5 per cent over September 2009. On the whole, Sri Lanka has seen 29, 185 tourists from North America within the first nine months of 2010 as compared to 17, 416 tourists in the same period in 2009.

The USA-Canada tour operator familiarisation tour which kicked off on Monday (4) saw six tour members from USA and six from Canada. The group consisted of tour operators as well as two travel photographers/ journalists. The group has toured most parts of the country except the North and East due to time constrains. The familiarisation tour was organised to increase awareness on Sri Lanka in the two countries following the New York Times listing Sri Lanka as the top destination to visit, and National Geo listing it as the number two island in the world early this year.

Image: Chairman SriLankan Airlines Nishantha Wickremasinghe and CEO Manoj Gunawardena with US and Canadian tour operators who participated in the national carrier sponsored familiarisation tour. Pic by Daminda Harsha Perera