Sri Lanka features as a tourist destination in Romania

Wednesday, 3 June 2026 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Roadshow was jointly organised by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, the Sri Lankan Embassy in Romania and Turkish Airlines in Bucharest on 18 May 2026.

Forty (40) Romanian travel companies and 08 (eight) Sri Lankan travel companies participated in the event where they had B2B meetings, aimed at boosting tourist arrivals from Romania to Sri Lanka.

Welcoming the participants, Deputy Director of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion, Masitha de Thabrew explained Sri Lanka’s advantages as a destination featuring culture, safety, and meaningful experiences within a compact and scenic island.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Romania Samantha Pathirana, emphasised the country’s growing reputation as one of Asia’s fastest-emerging tourist destinations. Sharing statistics, the Ambassador noted that Sri Lanka welcomed 2.3 million tourists in 2025, marking the highest arrival figures in its history, which generated a revenue of $ 3.2 billion.

Further, Ambassador Pathirana expressed optimism about Sri Lanka’s rising appeal as a travel destination for Romanian travelers, Eastern Europe and Romania showing an increasing interest in authentic, safe and meaningful travel experiences. He said that Romania is home to a population with a strong inclination toward travel, as indicated by data showing that six million Romanians ventured abroad in 2025. Although Sri Lanka has seen modest growth in tourist arrivals from Romania, this figure remained steady at approximately 6,000 tourists over the past two years. He expressed the belief that the Romanian tourism market holds vast untapped potential. The Ambassador underscored ambitious plans by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and the Embassy to significantly expand Romanian tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka in 2026 and beyond and invited Romanian travel companies to support this joint mission.

The General Manager of the Turkish Airlines in Romania Hakki Gunte reiterated their commitment to fostering greater connectivity between Romania and Sri Lanka via Istanbul for travelers seeking new adventures. He disclosed that in addition to the two new weekly flights introduced on the Istanbul-Colombo route in April this year, one more weekly flight will be added in June. He noted that as Turkish Airlines now operate flights from 4 cities in Romania, namely Bucharest, Timisoara, Constanta and Cluj, Romanian travellers from across the country can conveniently travel to Sri Lanka via Istanbul.

The roadshow showcased Sri Lanka’s traditional dance and music bringing grace and life to the event by Srithalae Dance Troupe, a talented Sri Lankan Cultural troupe based in Romania.

Two popular Romanian travel bloggers, Adelina Pestritu and Andra Doite, shared engaging stories about their trips to Sri Lanka, organised by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. They recounted their experiences, showcasing the island’s remarkable diversity from its unspoiled beaches and cultural heritage sites to its verdant landscapes and wildlife.

The event concluded with a raffle draw where lucky winners won a round-trip air ticket to Sri Lanka from Turkish Airlines and 7 familiarisation tours offered by the participating Sri Lankan travel companies.