Sri Lanka to convey four major messages at WTM

(November 09, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) This year’s World Travel Market (WTM) in London is scheduled to open in a few hours time at 10am GMT, and Sri Lanka Tourism will be conveying four major messages. Sanjika Perera, heading the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board’s London team, speaking to newsfirst.lk yesterday at the ExCel centre at the London Docklands, said that the island nation would be highlighting the launching of the Visit Sri Lanka: 2011 campaign; Opening of the Yala National Park; Relaxation of the UK FCO advisories leading to a stable future and investment opportunities in Sri Lanka in the light of the new areas identified for development of tourism, especially in Kalpitiya and the East coast.

“All our efforts here in London at WTM, celebrating its 30th anniversary, will be focussed on much better tourism prospects for the coming year. With peace dawning on Sri Lanka after so many years, tourism will be one of the first sectors to take off,” said Sanjaka at the Sri Lanka stand at the WTM on Sunday evening.

He said Faiszer Mustapha, Minister of Tourism Promotion and Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Authority were scheduled to attend the four-day event.

The opening ceremony for Sri Lanka will take place at 10.30 GMT and the chief guests will be Minister Faiszer Mustapha and Nihal Jayasinghe, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in the United Kingdom.

The Visit Sri Lanka 2011 launch ceremony targeting for the UK trade and media will take place in the evening from 6pm onwards.

The Sri Lankan stakeholders including the major players as well as those falling into the small and medium enterprises category participating in the global event are: Jetwing Hotels and Travels, Serendib Leisure, Tangerine Group, Aitken Spence Travels & Tours, Galadari Hotel, Hilton Colombo, Mount Lanvinia Hotel and Club Bentota, Galle Face Hotel, Taj Hotels, Walkers Tours, Confifi Group, Ceylon Tea Trails, Quickshaws, Journeyscapes, Goldi Sands Hotel, NKAR Travels & Tours, Barberyn Ayurveda Resort, Airwing Tours, United Holidays, Serene Pavilions, The Fortress, Connaissance De Ceylan, Amaya Resorts & Spas, Taprospa, Lanka Sportsreizen, Aman Resorts, Colombus Tours, Lanka Holidays, Cystal Holidays, Deep South, Pan Lanka, Maheweli Reach, Hotel Topaz, Andrews Travels, The Blue Water, Kani Lanka, Siddhalepa, Colombo Fort Hotels, Sunway Holidays, Ceylon Tours, Reef the Ultimate Tropical Beach Villa, Asian Adventures, etc.
In addition, all state tourism institutions will be represented.

The national carrier, SriLankan Airlines is also represented in their own separate stall almost opposite the Sri Lanka stand.

-Sri Lanka Guardian