Sri Lanka participates at BITM in China

Sri Lanka Tourism was an active participant at the Beijing International Tourism Mart (BITM) 2018, which was held at the China International Exhibition Centre from 5-7 September. The exhibition was being held for the second consecutive year with over 3,000 visitors and 400 hosted buyers. 

The Sri Lanka delegation was led by Tourism Development Minister John Amaratunga and included Sri Lankan Ambassador to China Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Chairman Dehan Seneviratne, Senior Advisor to the Tourism Development Minister Felix Rodrigo, and SLTPB Assistant Director Chinthaka Liyanarachchi. 

BITM is considered one of the biggest tourism events in China and is of vital importance to Sri Lanka in light of the fact that China is the second largest contributor of tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka. In addition, Beijing is the second biggest outbound generating market in China behind only Shanghai.

The opening ceremony of BITM was followed by a well-attended press conference where Minister Amaratunga and Ambassador Kodituwakku participated and fielded numerous queries about tourism in Sri Lanka. 

Minister Amaratunga emphasised that Sri Lanka is a must-visit destination for Chinese tourists because it offers unparalleled diversity, authenticity and value for money. 

He stated that excellent air connectivity between the two countries with over 30 flights per week and the relatively short travel time makes it an excellent destination for both leisure and business travellers, especially in the MICE sector (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions).