News
Sri Lanka-Nepal should enjoy bigger market share in the region – NATTA Secretary
By Harischandra Gunaratna
The Nepal Tour and Travel Agents Association members who visited Sri Lanka recently on a promotional visit were quite optimistic that the two countries could market its tourism product with aggressive and innovative campaigns.
Acting secretary of the Association Jiswan Thuladhar Shreshta told The Island: “Though, initially our mission was to promote Nepal as a destination in Sri Lanka, however on seeing the positive response and the overwhelming enthusiasm shown by the travel agents here to promote the country as a destination in Nepal, we are wholeheartedly supporting the move.
She was of the opinion that with a “Concerted effort Sri Lanka and Nepal should enjoy a bigger market share in tourist arrivals in the region with aggressive promotions and innovative thinking.”
She said, ‘It was a totally a successful and a mutually beneficial business mission’.
Jiswan said Nepal had more than mountains to offer to tourists who desired adventure travel, a luxury honeymooners paradise and the country was essentially a pilgrims’ destination with a number of key Buddhist sites and Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha being the focal point.
She said that during the last three years approximately 1,225,000 tourists had visited Nepal and the tourism authorities there expected the number to increase with the easing of travel restrictions due to the pandemic.
The senior travel agent said Sri Lanka was blessed with all the key ingredients required to become a top tourist destination in the region and with aggressive promotions and a hands-on approach it could be achieved.
During her visit here, Jiswan visited the beaches and the hill country and said she was highly impressed with the cleanliness of the hotels, warm hospitality and the exotic cuisine.
Nilmin Nanayakkara, Chairman/Managing Director, Nkar Travels and Tours (Pvt) Ltd, the livewire behind the visit of the Nepalese travel agents to Sri Lanka said, that the meetings the members of the IATA agents Association of Sri Lanka and the Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka had with their Nepalese counterparts were quite successful “and we need to get cracking from here”.
Nanayakkara, a veteran travel agent, said hitherto the biggest obstacle both countries faced was non-availability of direct flights and now that SriLankan Airlines was operating four flights a week – Colombo-Kathmandu-Colombo – more holidaymakers would make use of that opportunity.
Members of the South Asian Journalists Forum have gathered at the University of New Delhi for a two day conference themed ‘Peace and Co-operation’.
Journalists from Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India are attending the conference hosted by the University of Delhi in collaboration with the India Chapter of SJF, and will deliberate on how the media can act as a catalyst for regional stability and mutual coexsistence.
A tree plantation campaign was also held at the Ghandi Bhawan premises of the University to mark the event and symbolize growing regional ties.
The Sri Lanka delegation is led by President of SJF’s Sri Lanka Chapter Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi.
The Governor of the of Gujarat, Acharya Devvrat, along with the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat, Harsh Sanghvi, met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on Thursdy [February 05] at the Parliamentary Complex to discuss the arrangements related to the exposition of the Devnimori Sacred Relics of Lord Buddha, which have been brought to Sri Lanka under the patronage of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India.
These sacred relics of Lord Buddha were discovered during archaeological excavations conducted in the 1960s at the historic Devnimori site in Gujarat, the home state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Until now, these relics had never been taken outside India. As a result of discussions held between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Sri Lanka, the people of Sri Lanka have been granted this rare opportunity to venerate these sacred relics.
The exposition of the relics is being held for a period of seven days, from February 05 to February 11, at the Gangaramaya Temple in Hunupitiya, Colombo. Discussions were held between both parties regarding the arrangements related to this event.
The discussion was attended by Samar Nanda, Joint Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Culture; Dr. Satyanjal Pandey, Acting High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka; Abhijit Halder, Director General of the International Buddhist Confederation; along with several others.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) GHARIAL made a port call in Colombo for operational turnarounds on 04 Feb 26. The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship in compliance with naval traditions.
Commanded by Commander Gaurav Tewari, INS GHARIAL is a vessel with a length of 124.8 meters.
During this visit, ten (10) Bailey Bridges, brought by ship, through the coordination of the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka, will be handed over to the Disaster Management Center. These bridges will provide temporary transportation links while bridges damaged across the island by adverse weather conditions are repaired.
The crew’s itinerary features scheduled goodwill activities with the Sri Lanka Navy, alongside visits to several tourist attractions across the island.
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