Sri Lanka Tourism kick-starts Nordic roadshow with success

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) has started an inspiring roadshow in Nordic countries and is currently visiting the Nordic countries with the aim to promote the destination towards the Nordic travel trade, and to generate new contacts for Sri Lankan trade partners.

The first of the four workshops was held recently in the Danish capital of Copenhagen providing Sri Lankan tourism partners with a platform to make valuable business relations with Danish and Swedish tour operators.

The roadshow started with a workshop in Copenhagen on 5 September at the Marriott Copenhagen Hotel. While 57 Danish and Swedish travel trade representatives attended the event, 26 Sri Lankan industry partners had the opportunity to promote themselves and their products.

Marriott Hotel in Copenhagen made the right setting for an awarding afternoon and evening. To create a Sri Lankan atmosphere the event started by the lighting of the traditional oil lamp ceremony, hosted by Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in Denmark Peter Grøndahl.

President of Sri Lanka Inbound Tour Operators’ Association Devindre Senarathne, Secretary of Association of Small and Medium Tourist Enterprises Prebuddha Jayasinghe, Ushan Edirisinghe representing the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka – Denmark’s representative at Miss Tourism Sri Lanka Isabella Haugaard, Director of Marketing Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Madubhani Perera, Officer handling Scandinavia at SLTPB Jagath Perera and Morten Balk from airline partner Emirates hosted the head table during a Q&A session.

A presentation with a SLTPB produced image film about Sri Lanka as a holiday destination was shown to inspire the attending Danish and Swedish travel traders. Supporting the presentation, Haugaard told the audience about her experiences in Sri Lanka, underlined by colorful images. The presentations were followed by a Q&A session, where the Sri Lankan trade representatives at the head table answered questions about seasonality, visa regulations, how to get around and more.

A session of networking and immersive conversations between the Danish and Swedish attendees, and the Sri Lankan tour operators and hotels partners also was held. A free-flow B2B session created a platform for both sides to create new contacts and intensify existing relationships.

A three course dinner was served to round up the event. Generous industry partners sponsored a raffle with a total of four lucky winners. Further the Tourism Bureau raffled out another five Sri Lankan gifts.

The raffle was sponsored by Emirates, Bernard Tours, Cinnamon Air, Walker Tours, and Pledge Holidays.