The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau conducted a roadshow in Turkey on April 18.
This is the first roadshow organised by the SLTPB in Turkey, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Mission in Turkey.
SriLankan Airlines has direct connectivity from Istanbul and operates five flights per week.
The Turkish airline is due to fly daily to Colombo from October.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau organised this event to create awareness in timely manner and showcasing the importance of the market in the international travel forum as the first initiative.
Sri Lanka impressed the Turkish travel trade and media community by showcasing holiday opportunities, its culture with various videos and cultural dance performances to make the Turkish travellers to consider about having a different experience in a different destination at the roadshow at the Intercontinental Hotel Turkey.
There were 19 officials representing Sri Lankan travel companies and hotels registered with SLTPB. They included Aitken Spence Travels, Walkers Tours, Ceylon Roots / LOLC Holdings, Jetwing Travels, Exotic Holidays International, Hayleys Travels, Golden Isle, Ceylon Empire Travels, Bernard Tours, Fly A World Consultant and Tourism, Oreta Travels, Resfeber Holidays, Sunway Holidays/Sunway International, Shimron Holidays, Ayubowan Tours and Travels, Apuru, Trancso Travel, Ceylon My Dream, and Esna Holidays.
The welcome speech was made by Dushan Wickramasuriya while the country presentation was by Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Turkey, Hasanthi Urugodawatte Dissanayake.
Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Chalaka Gajabahu, briefed the audience with a detailed introduction of the new concepts and strategies initiated by Sri Lanka Tourism to increase the influx of tourists.
Assistant Director, Turkish Market, Ms. Sasika Jayaweera and Station Manager of Turkish Airlines, Cumhur Boyaraz also spoke.
Honorary Consul General of Sri Lanka in Istanbul, Aydin Osu was also present.
A networking session was held with local travel industry partners and Turkish travel agents. Parallel to the trade networking session, Sri Lanka Tourism also conducted a media briefing for the media personnel to take the message that the island is safe, secure and fully equipped to offer a good travel experience.
