SLTPB signs agreement with a Chinese city aimed at promoting tourism

With China becoming bigger day by day in the Sri Lankan calendar, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Zhongshan Municipal Tourism Bureau (ZMTB) of China.

It was signed between SLTPB Chairman Bhashwara Senanka Gunarathna and ZMTB of China Deputy Director General Dong Zuwen during a media conference held at the TajSamudra Hotel in Colombo on Tuesday.

Speaking to the Business Times on the sidelines of the event, Mr. Gunarathna said, “Zhongshan being a city located in Southern China is another potential market to promote Sri Lanka. We have already done overall promotions in Zhongshan like outdoor advertising campaigns and public relations activities. The MoU will enable both countries to strengthen the relationships.” The Free Trade Agreement between Sri Lanka and China which will be realised very soon will become a tremendous opportunity for tourism, he added.

The MoU was signed on the tourism promotional initiatives between the two parties, recognising the importance of further tourism promotion on friendly exchanges and cooperation between Sri Lanka and Zhongshan city in China.

The parties agree to enhance mutual understanding and friendship through strengthening regular information exchanges, support each other’s tourism promotion events to increase popularity of tourism destinations, promote and organ- ise local tourists to visit both cities, commence regular/charter flights to Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport and holding meetings and publishing tourism information through each other’s websites and magazines.

The two parties have expressed their views highlighting that the agreement has put the foundation to a greater travel and tourism development between China and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has already become a popular travel destination among Chinese travellers. The agreement will further enhance the travel and tourism opportunities and increasing the number of Chinese travellers to Sri Lanka.

Chinese tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka is on a steady rise at the moment and has recorded a significant growth in 2014 reflecting the effectiveness of the promotional campaigns executed from 2013 onwards. The 100,000th Chinese tourist for this year arrived in Sri Lanka last month reflecting a growth of above 150 per cent compared to last year.