Sri Lanka Tourism briefing session in London under “Discover the Renewed Sri Lanka”

The Sri Lanka High Commission in London (SLHC), in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), organised a Sri Lanka Tourism briefing session at the SLHC on 17 December under the theme “Discover the Renewed Sri Lanka.” 

The event brought together nearly 70 participants, including tourism industry leaders, tourism officials, travel trade partners, agents, writers, bloggers, and travel and tourism enthusiasts from the UK and Sri Lanka.

Delivering the opening address, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the UK Nimal Senadheera outlined Sri Lanka’s renewed tourism narrative, emphasising resilience, recovery, and sustainable growth. He highlighted the positive recovery of the sector despite recent challenges, including the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, and reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to being a safe, welcoming, and high-quality destination for international travellers. 

He also noted that the UK continues to be Sri Lanka’s second-largest source market in 2025 and outlined the role of the SLHC in supporting recovery efforts, engaging the Sri Lankan community in the UK, and providing timely travel updates to UK travellers.

Key travel updates and plans for the coming year, including global marketing initiatives, were presented by SLTPB Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam. He was joined by Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) President Nalin Jayasundara, The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka President Asoka Hettigoda, and SriLankan Airlines Regional Manager – Europe and the Americas Chinthaka Weerasinghe, who joined virtually from Sri Lanka.

The event was moderated by SLHC Minister – Commercial Somasena Mahadiulwewa. The program included destination and testimonial videos, updates from SriLankan Airlines, and an interactive Q&A session, providing networking opportunities and reinforcing Sri Lanka’s renewed confidence and strong partnership with the UK travel and tourism market.