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UNITED KINGDOM NO.1 MARKET TO SRI LANKA |
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Tourist arrivals from Western Europe showed a decrease of 21.9 % in July 2008, when compared to the corresponding period last year. During the month all the markets showed decreases of their arrivals except France. However UK has become its position as the major tourist generating market to Sri Lanka during the month.
In July 2008, arrivals from East Asia decreased by 17.3 % and arrivals from South Asia decreased by 36.9 %, when compared to the figures of the same month in 2007. Considering the markets of this region, All the markets showed decreases of their arrivals. However India has become the second major tourist generating market to Sri Lanka during the month.
Arrivals from the North American region recorded a decrease of 19.9 %, mainly due to the decrease in arrivals from U.S.A (18.9 %) and Canada (21.4 %), when compared to the same month in last year. Australasia recorded a decrease of 14.7 %, mainly due to the decrease in arrivals from Australia (10.5 %) and New Zealand (42.9%).Other regions, Latin America & The Caribbean (-24.7 %), Eastern Europe (-27.5 %), Middle East (-18.3 %) & Africa (-6.1%) recorded during the month. |
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BELGIUM TRAVEL ADVISORY RELAXED |
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An earlier travel advisory imposed by the government of Belgium advising visitors to refrain from non-essential travel to Sri Lanka has been revised since Friday, August 29, 2008.
The new advisory allows tour operators from Belgium to market Sri Lanka aggressively for the upcoming winter season.
The relaxed travel advisory only mentions travel restrictions to the North and the Eastern regions and Yala.
It is hoped that the Belgium travel advisory will result in similar relaxations of travel advisory from other European nations as well. |
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CONDOR OF GERMANY, WINTER OPERATIONS WILL BOOST GERMAN TRAVEL TO SRI LANKA |
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Condor Airlines, the Charter operator of Germany will resume its winter operations to Colombo from November.
"Condor's uninterrupted operation every fortnight to Colombo will ensure a steady flow of German visitors to Sri Lanka," said Managing Director, SLTPB, Dileep Mudadeniya.
"Sri Lanka Tourism having agreed to provide concessions in landing and handling charges, are currently engaged in discussions with Condor and their local agents Walkers Tours to carry out a joint marketing campaign to boost consumer sales to Sri Lanka," he added.
Condor, now owned by Thomas Cook AG, has been flying to Sri Lanka continuously over the past decades and is a symbol of confidence for German travellers.
Sri Lanka Tourism will also conduct special joint promotions with Condor such as, teaser campaigns, info banners, advertising campaigns, video on board and in-flight magazine highlighting tourist attractions in Sri Lanka |
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SRI LANKA FIRST CARBON-NEUTRAL DESTINATION IN THE WORLD? |
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As part of the Boardroom Challenge panel moderated by CNN anchor Ms Kristie Lu Stout, at the PATA CEO challenge, Renton de Alwis, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Board made a presentation on the Earth Lung concept, a program that was announced during the UNWTO Summit on Climate Change in Davos in 2007. This is an initiative to make Sri Lanka a carbon neutral destination, offsetting the carbon emissions from visiting tourists, thus reducing travel guilt and appealing to the more responsible traveller.
A very interesting initiative that according to Mr. de Alwis is supposed to turn into a community - Sri Lanka is a pioneering country on this concept, and ahead of its peers in identifying its significance and acting on it.
A website is in development at http://www.earthlung.travel/ that further describes this concept. |
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KALPITIYA THE NEXT "HOT" DESTINATION IN ASIA |
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Sri Lanka Tourism, keeping its vision to develop locations, while maintaining ecological and environmental balance, takes on a unique location - Kalpitiya; in the Puttalam district.
On a ministerial initiative, the dormant Kalpitiya Integrated Resort Project has been reactivated. The master plan, to develop the cluster of 14 islands which are currently uninhabited, and of varied sizes, to a tourist resort for the discerning traveller, with a taste for the best, was launched recently. |
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