Top UK diplomats express confidence in local tourism industry

18 June 2012 09:57 am Views - 5621

Sri Lanka has a very good potential to be a top tourist destination in the region and is unique in its natural beauty, against any competitor in the region, a top diplomatic group from United Kingdom (UK) stated.

The ‘ Consular Corps of London’, an association of all London-based consuls general, consuls, honorary consuls and career diplomats involved in consular and immigration matters, made this observation after a familiarization tour to the major tourist attractions in the island including Sigiriya, Jaffna, Down-South, Kandy and Pinnawala.

Addressing a recent press conference held in Colombo, Bernard Silver, Executive Committee Member, Consular Corps of London, also pointed out Sri Lanka’s opportunities to become a top tourist destination in the region.

“Sri Lanka is very rich in its resources and I’m sure opening up its Northern area to the industry of tourism would definitely bring about positive results, as in the case of its South,” he said.

He added that they are indeed happy and contented of the postwar development process and its benefits to all the communities in the island.

Expressing his ideas in this regard, Rumy Jauffer, Managing Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau stated that it’s a great opportunity for Sri Lanka to show her post-conflict achievements to a group of top diplomats from the UK.

“Their experience of our tourism product will truly be a determining factor for our market,” he noted.

The tour of the Consular Corps was organised by Sri Lankan High Commission in the UK. It is also a part of the image building exercise of post–conflict Sri Lanka, by which, the diplomatic community of the UK is exposed to the ground realities.