Sri Lanka Convention Bureau holds Tourism Roadshow in three cities in Pakistan

Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Consulate General in Karachi, continuing its aggressive engagement and outreach to one of the potential source markets,  organised a three-city roadshow in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore.

The inaugural roadshow took place on 11 September 2023, at the Marriott Hotel in Karachi, followed by the Islamabad event on 13 September 2023, hosted at the Serena Hotel. The concluding roadshow occurred at the Nishat Hotel on 15 September 2023.

The three city roadshow promoted a myriad of tourism experiences while focusing on converting potential travellers to make bookings and highlighted the positive message that Sri Lanka is open for tourism.

The roadshow aimed to engage a specific audience, including tour operators, media representatives, influential persons, corporate entities, trade associations, and key stakeholders in the Pakistani tourism industry. This group has the capability to convey the message that Sri Lanka is not only exceptionally beautiful but also offers a diverse range of leisure activities. Each city on the roadshow had an attendance of 75 tour operators and corporate representatives. 

Fifteen local tourism stakeholders participated in the three-city roadshow, engaging in B2B sessions that facilitated numerous discussions. The event was followed by an evening networking session, further enhancing business partnerships.

Press conferences were organised in each city with 15-20 media from leading Pakistani media houses. SLCB Chairman Thisum Jayasuriya, Acting High Commissioner in Pakistan U. L.  Niyas, Consul General in Karachi Jagath Abeywarna, SriLankan Airlines Pakistan Manager Saman Ratnayake, and Area Manager Lahore, Ruwan Wijekoon attended the press conference.

SLCB Chairman Thisum Jayasuriya addressed the media, emphasising that Sri Lanka holds great promise as a destination for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE). He shared notable tourism statistics, underscoring that in 2018, the country attracted 19,116 tourists from Pakistan, followed by 14,655 in 2019. This year marked the 75th anniversary of the relationship between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, commemorated through various promotional events. The Sri Lanka Consulate General in Karachi organised multiple programs in tandem with the Tourism Promotion Roadshow, including the Sri Lanka food festival in Karachi, a blood donation camp, and Sri Lankan dancing performances in Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore.