Sunday Mar 23, 2008
Despite unrest in certain parts in the country SriLankan Airlines was able to draw 100,000 Indian tourists and maintained 100 flights during 2007.

It is expected to double this strength during this year said the Head of Worldwide Passenger Sales Manoj Gunawardene.

SriLankan Airlines has redoubled its efforts aimed at bringing more tourists to Sri Lanka from India, in support of the country's tourism industry.

Head of Worldwide Passenger Sales, Manoj Gunawardena, said: "We are fully focused on our responsibility as the National Carrier to support our own tourism industry, although the airline itself has a thriving business in transit passengers travelling through our hub in Colombo." SriLankan's most recent promotion in India offers discounted fares throughout the month of February for Indian travellers below the age of 27 to enjoy exciting holidays in Sri Lanka.

One condition of the offer is that travellers must spend a minimum of three days in Sri Lanka.

The airline has invested heavily in recent years in publicising Sri Lanka as a destination in India, drawing attention to its value for money shopping, wide range of cuisine, superior hotels and convention facilities, cultural wonders, and diverse climates and landscapes.

SriLankan Airlines is the only international carrier to have 100 flights per week to India, serving 11 cities there - New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Trichy, Trivandrum, Cochin, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa, Coimbatore and Calicut.

Regional Manager Indian Subcontinent and Maldives Senaka Fernando, said: "India is the largest country of origin of tourists to Sri Lanka, having replaced our earlier traditional markets in Europe every year since 2005."

More than 100,000 Indians visited in 2007, a number that Sri Lanka Tourism says is expected to double in the next two years.

The airline is focusing attention on the short flying time, with Colombo being only about an hour away from its six destinations in South India.