Sri Lanka lures Indian tourists with Ramayana trail
nuanho nuanho
A Sri Lankan tourism package called the 'Ramayana trail' that covers
sites mentioned in a 2,000-year-old epic poem popular in south Asia is
drawing droves of Indian visitors to the island, officials said.
"From the day we launched the product two years ago, large groups have
been coming," said S Kalaiselvam, director general the Sri Lanka
Tourism Development Authority.
The tour, of sites mentioned in the Ramayana legend, is part of a
marketing effort by the island's tourist promotion agency to increase
the number of visitors from India, which has emerged as a key tourism
market for Sri Lanka.
"A big increase is expected in the Indian outbound tourism market,"
Kalaiselvam told a conference for American investors.
"We being close to India will benefit from that increase."
Kalaiselvam said the 'Ramayana trail' tour package was well positioned
to draw Indian visitors as there was no competition for the product.
"A group of 500 visitors is expected from India in December, and in
January we expect a 1,000-strong group."
The tourism authorities are developing a host of sites depicted in the
Ramayana, the ancient Sanskrit epic popular especially among Hindus,
ranging from jungle shrines to mountains, streams, and caves.
The poem tells the tale of Rama, an incarnation of the Hindu god
Vishnu, whose wife Sita is abducted by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka
The number of tourists visiting the island has increased sharply since
the end of its 30-year ethnic war in May when government forces
defeated the Tamil Tiger separatists.
The war had been the main deterrent to tourists.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has said the island hopes
to attract 2.5 million tourists by 2016 and has launched several
projects to increase the number of rooms to cater to the anticipated
numbers.
http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/fullstory.php?nid=499872488