Sri Lanka Tourism to hold roadshows in India to boost visitor arrivals

NEW DELHI — Sri Lanka's Tourism Ministry is ramping up promotions for Indian travellers through roadshows and networking events in southern India next week, with the goal of increasing arrivals and strengthening tourism relations between the two countries, a report has said.

A series of roadshows (B2B) and networking evenings are scheduled to take place in Madurai on October 6, Coimbatore on October 8, and Chennai on October 10, a report from Mawrata News said.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) and the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) are jointly organising these events to promote Sri Lanka as a year-round destination for all segments of travellers, the report added.

Aimed at attracting more visitors from southern India and strengthening the bilateral ties, the roadshows will highlight the island’s thriving tourism industry, rich attractions, resilience, and steady growth.

The delegation, led by Vijitha Herath, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, and Ruwan Ranasinghe, Deputy Minister of Tourism, includes officials from the SLTPB and SLCB, accompanied by over 40 stakeholders from the Sri Lankan tourism sector, and will attend the event in Tamil Nadu.

The group represents Destination Management Companies (leisure and MICE), leading hotels and resorts, tour operators, and other tourism-related service providers from Sri Lanka.

During the roadshows, industry stakeholders will participate in B2B interactions with their Indian counterparts in each city. Each event is expected to draw over 200 participants, including Indian travel agents, prominent industry figures, and members of the media, the report noted.

Sri Lanka is at a critical juncture, with its prospects for 2026 clouded by external shocks. Economic growth is forecast to slow to 3.3 per cent as the United States imposes a 20 per cent tariff on key Sri Lankan exports, according to a report.