By Rohit Mitra
New Delhi, Feb 28 (UNI) Curtains came down on SATTE 2026, an annual tourism fair at Delhi’s Yashobhumi on Friday evening. This edition saw about 2000 exhibitors from about 60 countries participate in the three-day-long tourism event.
Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau had a strong presence at the event, which attracted a lot of attention from the visitors.
The Bureau tried to focus its energy on communicating the unique selling propositions of the ‘Emerald Isle of the Indian Ocean’ to charm Indian weddings and film production customers in a big way.
DM Niroshana, Managing Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, in an interaction with UNI, said, “As far as the Indian market is concerned, we are focusing on wedding tourism and film tourism. India has a very rich and very big film industry. We have exotic locations and the stories. We want Indians to come and shoot in Sri Lanka.”
“Wedding tourism is another segment which has huge demand in India. Wedding parties come in large numbers, they stay for several days, and they also spend substantial amounts at the destination. We want them to come to Sri Lanka. For Indian tourists, Sri Lanka is a specialised destination; it is foreign yet quite similar to India. So our Indian visitors can feel at home there.”
Niroshana added that the tourism bureau is trying to get concessions from airline companies for bulk wedding tourist parties from India.
“We are working towards getting air travel concessions and also want tax cuts on some merchandise so that we become an attractive shopping destination,” he explained.
He explained that Sri Lanka offers a world of varied experiences within a very short span of time.
“In Sri Lanka, within a span of 1-2 hours, you can reach a totally different climate and environment,” he said. Galle is a beach destination, but within a few hours, you can reach Ella, which is a mountainous and forest destination,” he said.
“Similarly, Nuwara Eliya, which is very cold, is right next to that. Anuradhapura is an ancient city, while Colombo, which is just around 4 hours away, is totally different. Jafna offers authentic Tamil culture and houses a lot of Hindu temples, he added, explaining the sheer diversity that the island nation presents to visitors.
All places are just a few hours from one another, so you get several varied experiences in Sri Lanka within a short span of time.”
Meanwhile, next door, Nepal positioned itself as an ideal weekend getaway and as a place that offers something for everyone
Sagar Upadhyaha, senior officer, Nepal Tourism Board, said, “The holy land of Nepal holds immense religious significance, hosting multiple temples of spiritual importance, so it is very important for religious tourists, especially the elderly. At the same time, it is an attraction for the youth as it has endless opportunities for adventure tourism- mountaineering, camping, mountain biking and so on.”
Upadhyaha underscored the importance of Indian tourism for Nepal’s economy. “Even if a small proportion of Indians visit Nepal, it will be a huge boost to our economy. We are accessible by road and offer visa-free travel; we are a very good weekend destination.”
He explained that Nepal is also trying to position itself as a wedding, honeymoon and film shooting destination
“We get a good amount of tourists during summers, but we are also promoting the destination wedding segment. We have engaged with wedding planners for that purpose. Government is also considering easing the rules and making sanctions easier for filmmakers in Nepal.”
The Karnataka Tourism Department focused on highlighting the coastal tourism trend that is strengthening in the state
AS Nadaf, Manager, Jungle Lodges & Resorts Ltd., Bengaluru, said, people are discovering the charms Karnataka’s coastal regions offer. “Turtle breeding is a unique sight to behold in the pristine, picturesque beaches of Karnataka. Tourists visit the Karnataka coasts both at the time when turtles come to shore to lay eggs and the time when the eggs hatch and the newborn turtles go towards the sea.”
“Turtles come from as far as New Zealand to lay eggs on the beach. After that, go back to sea. One turtle lays about hundreds of eggs, though very few survive, as very few of them reach the water from the beach, they fall prey to birds, jackals, dogs, etc., so our department has started protecting them.”
Nadaf added that fish tourism is also gaining in popularity in Karnataka. “Tourists come to watch fishermen at work, how they put their nets, how they trace fish in the sea using their traditional knowledge, how they segregate different species of fish when they come back with their catch, and they also buy fresh fish from fishermen.”
The Caribbean nation of Jamaica highlighted its Indian Diaspora, tourist-friendly population and unique adventure sports experiences for wooing Indian visitors.
Harshima Bakshi, PR Manager of the Jamaica Tourist Board, said those willing to explore a new, unique destination should choose Jamaica. “For Indians, it is a fresh and unexplored destination, not many know there is a large Indian Diaspora that resides there, and there are a lot of cultural similarities between India and Jamaica- Indians will not feel out of place. People are very warm and friendly.”
“Apart from beaches, mountaineering, hiking, and waterfall climbing are some of the things that we are promoting here. Waterfall climbing is fast gaining popularity; it is an adventure activity involving ascending waterfalls with the help of a belay. Be it surfing or sailing, Jamaica has activities for visitors of all ages,” she said.
Harshima said that foreign tourist arrivals from India in Jamaica are rising steadily. Although there is no direct air connectivity, Jamaica offers a visa-on-arrival facility for Indians.
