Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vijitha Herath, has underscored the importance the Government of Sri Lanka places on the tourism sector, highlighting priorities of sustainability, diversification, enhanced connectivity, and digital transformation, during the India–Sri Lanka Tourism Connect held in Colombo.
Minister Herath participated in the India–Sri Lanka Tourism Connect, organized by the High Commission of India, aimed at strengthening tourism cooperation and fostering new investment opportunities between our two countries.
Addressing the event, the Foreign Minister pointed out that to further expand Indian tourist arrivals, Sri Lanka is focusing on city breaks, beaches, heritage routes, MICE tourism, destination weddings, film tourism, and cricket tourism.
Minister Vijitha Herath also invited Indian filmmakers and investors to consider Sri Lanka as a prime destination for film production, events, and hospitality ventures.
“I reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to working together with India to unlock new opportunities and deepen our partnership in the tourism sector,” he added in a post on ‘X’.
Minister Vijitha Herath’s full statement at the India–Sri Lanka Tourism Connect :
Ayubowan! Good Evening!
It is a pleasure to join you today as we strengthen the growing partnership between Sri Lanka and India in tourism, built on shared history, culture, and people-to-people connections.
In recent years, India is Sri Lanka’s largest source market for tourism. With excellent air connectivity and strong cultural ties, our two countries are natural travel partners.
This discussion, organized following President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to India, reflects our joint commitment to deepen tourism cooperation and investment.
Tourism is central to Sri Lanka’s economy. This week, we welcomed our 2 millionth tourist, and we expect 2.4 to 2.5 million arrivals by the year-end, a historic milestone. By 2030, we aim for 4 million tourists and USD 8 billion in revenue.
To reach this goal, Sri Lanka is prioritizing sustainability, market diversification, improved connectivity, and digital transformation. We are aligning with global trends, including the “Riyadh Declaration on the Future of Tourism”, which supports integrating AI and digital tools into national tourism planning.
Indian arrivals have increased in recent months, supported by the visa-free entry facility and targeted promotional campaigns. Sri Lanka remains one of the top short-haul destinations for Indian travellers.
We are focusing on city breaks, beaches, heritage routes, MICE tourism, destination weddings, film tourism, and cricket tourism. Our roadshows, B2B engagements, and airline partnerships across Indian cities continue to strengthen this momentum.
Given our 2,500-year relationship, we see significant opportunity in religious tourism, including the Buddhist circuits and the Ramayana trail. I also encourage more Indian filmmakers and investors to consider Sri Lanka for hospitality projects, events, and film production.
Sri Lanka–India cooperation is strongest when we act together. I am confident that today’s programme will advance new opportunities and deepen our partnership in the tourism sector.
I wish you all a pleasant evening. Thank you! (Newswire)