As a part of Sri Lanka's ongoing expansion in infrastructure and product development to make the destination more attractive to visitors and with a particular focus on the traveler from India, plans are under way to revive the cruise service between the two countries.
Dileep Mudadeniya, managing director of Sri Lankan Tourism, said, "We plan to revive our cruise links with India by the end of this year through the Mumbai and Colombo route. These had previously been discontinued."
Development of cruise travel is a further expansion on the current promotion of the destination as an attractive choice for the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions segment of the industry as well as the marketing strategy of having mega events drawing celebrities and ensuring comfort and showcasing the country's capability to handle the most discerning and high-end clientele with poise. Predominantly being a holiday destination, a ripple effect is expected to be seen on the MICE segment as well. The biggest investment for Sri Lankan Tourism has been the IIFA project, said Mudadeniya.
"By associating Sri Lanka as a destination with celebrities, we hope to break the image that the country is not ready for high-end vacations and holidays," he said. There has also been the creation of a 20-acre film city for the development of MICE and film tourism. There are also plans to promote film tourism by providing incentives, the details of which are yet to be finalized, Mudadeniya said. Sri Lanka has already identified 57 locations which it is promoting as part of the Ramayana trail. For more information, visit www.srilanka.travel.
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