{"id":26158,"date":"2013-08-27T06:45:23","date_gmt":"2013-08-27T06:45:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/udayanga.net\/?p=26158"},"modified":"2019-01-10T14:07:18","modified_gmt":"2019-01-10T14:07:18","slug":"tourism-forum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/udayanga.com\/SI\/tourism-forum\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0db6\u0dd9\u0dbd\u0dbb\u0dd4\u0dc3\u0dca \u0dc3\u0d82\u0da0\u0dcf\u0dbb\u0d9a \u0dc3\u0db8\u0dd4\u0dc5\u0dd4\u0dc0"},"content":{"rendered":"

First Ever Sri Lanka Tourism Forum Held in Belarus<\/strong>
\n27th August 2013<\/p>\n

Coinciding with the state visit of H.E. Mahinda Rajapaksa the President of Sri Lanka to the Republic of Belarus, the Sri Lanka Embassy in the Russian Federation in collaboration with Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, National Tourism Agency of Belarus, major tour companies TEZ Tour (Minsk) and Rosting Belarus and Etihad Airways organized the Sri Lanka Tourism Forum in the scenic city of Minsk. The event which is a first of its kind to be held in Belarus was organized with the view of capturing a share of the country\u2019s growing outbound tourism market.
\nParticipating in the event were the key stakeholders of the Belarusian tourism industry including many of the leading tour agents and tour operators and top hoteliers from Sri Lanka.
\nOpening the event with his welcome speech Sri Lanka\u2019s Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris explained about the vividness of the Sri Lankan culture and how it enriches the tourism appeal of the island.
\nOfficials Representing the Ministry of Sports and Tourism of Belarus also made remarks regarding their willingness in partnering with Sri Lanka in enhancing two way tourism.
\nSri Lanka\u2019s Ambassador to the Russian Federation who is concurrently accredited to the republic of Belarus H.E. Udayanga Weerathunga made a breathtaking presentation in fluent Russian on the theme \u201dRefreshingly Sri Lanka \u2013 Wonder Island\u201d which captivated the hearts of the Belarus audience. The Ambassador explained in detail of the most popular tourist excursions as well as the new but emerging destinations in the country.
\nSeveral Sri Lankan hoteliers and tour operators also made introductions on their hotels and services. Subsequently a representative of Etihad Airlines which plays a leading role with respect to air connectivity between the two countries did a presentation on their positive experience with the islands rapidly expanding tourism market.
\nTourist arrivals to Sri Lanka from Russia and Eastern European countries have increased significantly during the past few years. As a direct result of the many tourist promotion programs conducted by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Russia, the number of CIS region tourists visiting the country this year is expected to surpass 70,000. A similar tourism promotion event was organized in 2010 in Kiew parallel to H.E the President\u2019s visit to Ukraine. Statistics reveal that the tourist arrivals from Ukraine which were hovering around 400 in 2010 have risen up to 22,000 in 2012. This clearly indicates the success of the kind of programs organized and the appeal of East European tourists for Sri Lanka\u2019s many attractions including its pristine beaches.
\nA familiarization tour for a team of 25 Belarus tour agents and tour operators to Sri Lanka was also finalized on the sidelines of the forum.<\/p>\n

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Related Images:<\/h3>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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