The Sri Lankan government has planned to attract 100,000 Chinese tourists to the country within the next 12 months and an agreement in this regard was signed in Colombo today. A Chinese and Sri Lankan company will launch this project, with an expected revenue of US $ 120 million.
Sri Lankan Tourism Minister John Amaratunga said on Tuesday that a local tour operator, Green Leaves Leisure, backed by his ministry had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Beijing-based Chinese company, Yingke Travel to provide better facilities for Chinese tourists and promote Sri Lanka as a world class tourist destination.
The project will include holding Chinese weddings in the country and visits to archaeological and historical sites, beach-related activities and mountain climbing.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Christian Affairs, annually 1.2 million Chinese tourists are visiting Maldives and Sri Lanka and the Ministry expects to attract that tourism market to Sri Lanka.
The Ministry points out that it is easier to attract Indian and Chinese tourists to the country due to the more frequent flights between the two countries.
Amaratunga said China is an important destination for Sri Lankan tourism and the government hopes to attract over 300,000 Chinese tourists at the end of this year. He told Xinhua that his Ministry hopes to make China the leading origin for Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals and the island nation’s tourism sector.
