COLOMBO – A tourism promotion event aiming to boost cross-border travel, strengthen industry partnerships, and highlight new technological opportunities in the tourism sector was held on Wednesday (19), bringing together key players from the tourism industries in Sri Lanka and India.
Titled ‘India – Sri Lanka Tourism Connect: From the Ganges to the Kelani – A Voyage of Friendship and Discovery’, the event was hosted by the High Commission of India in Colombo. Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, and India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, attended the event, which also featured participation from Sri Lanka’s wider tourism ecosystem, including leading outbound and inbound tour operators, hospitality sector representatives, and media organizations. From India, experts in branding, analytics, and technology also joined, underscoring the event’s focus on modernizing tourism engagement.
Harikishore S., Joint Secretary of India’s Ministry of Tourism, in his keynote address and detailed presentation, highlighted India’s diverse travel offerings, from spiritual and heritage circuits to luxury and budget-friendly experiences, while outlining the country’s evolving global branding strategy. He also emphasized new opportunities for Sri Lankan tourists to explore India’s expanding tourism landscape.
Madhya Pradesh, which had a high-level delegation from the government, led by Dr Ilayaraja T., Managing Director of the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation, participating in the event, was showcased as a major destination of interest for Sri Lankan travellers.
On the sidelines, the delegation held discussions with leading hospitality companies, the Mahabodhi Society, and participated in a roundtable with Ramayana artists and storytellers.
Key Indian digital and travel companies, including MakeMyTrip and Paytm, provided insights into traveller behaviour, seamless digital payment systems, and shifting consumer trends in the post-pandemic era. IIT Madras also demonstrated cutting-edge Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) applications designed to offer immersive virtual tours of India’s landmark destinations.
-ENCL
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