Sri Lanka achieves 2010 tourist arrival target

Sri Lanka Tourism celebrated the targeted 600,000 tourist arrivals for the year 2010 yesterday (14).
Tourism officials headed by Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Dr Nalaka Godahewa welcomed the 600,000th tourist at Bandaranaike International Airport yesterday (14).

This marks a significant moment in the history of tourism, said Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Dr Nalaka Godahewa “Sri Lanka is now on the world map as a unique safe destination. With this, we hope to achieve the 700,000 target set for ‘Visit Sri Lanka 2011,” he said.

The lucky guest Nick Davis from UK who is the CEO of Merchant Maritime Welfare Centre of UK was presented with a six-night seven-day package
which includes hotel accommodation, ground transport and entrance tickets to historical tourist sites in the island.

Since the end of the conflict in 2009, Sri Lanka has seen an increase in tourism figures.

November 2010 saw 72,251 tourists arriving in the country, a marked a 63.1% jump as compared to last year and the highest figure attained in
a month since 1966. The last highest figure was seen in 2004 recording 66,159 tourists.

'This is my second visit and we are delighted over the fantastic welcome we received. It was a long flight, but fully worth it,' Nick Davis told Daily News Business.

“We wish to come to Sri Lanka again and again. This beautiful country needs to be promoted aggressively”, he said adding, its magnificent elephants are very famous and the world should know that a Jewel named Sri Lanka exists.

“It was an amazing experience and we are pleasantly surprised. This is
my first visit to Sri Lanka and we will take fond memories back to
England. This is also the first time that I won something
extraordinary and it is absolutely incredible. I am at a loss for
words to describe my feelings,” Layla Dayani said.

Nick and Layla are here for a five-day stay during which they will
enjoy a one-day tour to down South.

They will leave the country on Saturday with the hope of returning
during next year.

Sri Lanka Tourism launched 'Refreshingly Sri Lanka Visit 2011' with 12
events spread across the year.

'Refreshingly Sri Lanka Visit 2011' will have twelve different theme
events happening throughout the year, in keeping with the 12 letters
that has been used for the tag line “Wonder of Asia”.

Next year Sri Lanka Tourism will be offering similar complimentary
packages to the 250,000th, 500,000th, 600,000th and 700,000th tourists
that arrives in the island to mark Refreshingly Sri Lanka Visit 2011.

All promotional activities and events will be planned in the next
couple of years with the expectation of achieving the target of 2.5

million tourists set by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Source: - www.news.lk

Latest destination for adventure cruise company Zegrahm: Sri Lanka

Looking for an off-the-beaten-path cruise destination in 2011? You'll want to take a look at the latest offerings from Zegrahm Expeditions.

The adventure cruise operator is rolling out a series of voyages that include stops in little-visited Sri Lanka -- a first for the 20-year-old company.

Zegrahm says the new itineraries will give adventure travelers the chance to explore Sri Lanka's lush tropical forests, white-sand beaches and rich biodiversity, as well as cultural sights.

The line plans four voyages that stop in Sri Lanka in 2011, all on the 110-passenger Clipper Odyssey:

-- The Bay of Bengal & the Andaman Sea (Jan. 17 – Feb. 6, 2011) and India and the Maldives with Sri Lanka & Lakshadweeps (Dec. 17, 2011 – Jan. 3, 2012) voyages each include two days in Sri Lanka. Passengers will visit 1000-year-old cultural sites including the Golden Temple of Dambulla, the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka; and the Temple of the Tooth, which houses the tooth of Bhudda encased in gold caskets. These expeditions both overnight in the village of Habarna.

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-- Splendors of India with Sri Lanka (Feb. 1 – 17, 2011) and Southern India by Sea with Sri Lanka (Dec. 7 – 21, 2011) include a full-day exploration of Galle that includes a visit to its Dutch colonial era fort (a World Heritage Site) and the Poorvarama Temple. Travelers spend a second day in the Sri Lankan highlands visiting the Temple of the Tooth and other sites.

On the Splendors of India voyage participants also will overnight in Kandy, the capital of Sri Lanka's Hill Country.

Cruise Loggers, have you ever been to Sri Lanka? Would you want to visit it? Share your thoughts below;

Source: - http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2010/12/sri-lanka-cruise-zeghram-expeditions-adventure-clipper-odyssey/133867/1