Sri Lanka participates at Beijing International Tourism Mart 2018
Sri Lanka Tourism was an active participant at the Beijing International Tourism Mart (BITM) 2018 which was held at the China International Exhibition Centre from September 5 to 7, 2018.
The exhibition was being held for the second consecutive year with over 3,000 visitors and 400 hosted buyers.
The Sri Lanka delegation was led by Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs Minister John Amaratunga and included Ambassador of Sri Lanka in China Dr. Karunasena Kodithuwakku, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) Chairman Dehan Seneviratne, Senior Advisor to the Minister Felix Rodrigo and SLTPB Assistant Director Chinthaka Liyanarachchi.
BITM is considered one of the biggest tourism events in China and is of vital importance to Sri Lanka in light of the fact that China is the second largest contributor of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka. In addition Beijing is the second biggest outbound generating market in China only behind Shanghai.
The opening ceremony of BITM was followed by a well-attended press conference where Minister Amaratunga and Ambassador Kodithuwakku participated and fielded numerous queries about tourism in Sri Lanka.
Minister Amaratunga emphasised that Sri Lanka is a must-visit destination for Chinese tourists because it offers unparalleled diversity, authenticity and is a value for money destination. He stated that excellent air connectivity between the two countries with over 30 flights per week and the relatively short travel time made it an excellent destination for both leisure and business travellers especially in the MICE sector.