SL to lure 1mn Chinese tourists under ‘Ni Hao Zhong Guo’ programme

9 January 2024 04:03 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 8 Bookmark

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Efforts underway to reach 1mn Chinese tourist arrivals in 2025
SLTDA shares a road map has been established for this purpose
SLTDA officials to visit China in coming days to firm up plans for programme
Key activities include RMB-based tourism activities, SL-Maldives itinerary and making accommodations/sites Chinese-friendly

Sri Lanka is actively working towards increasing the influx of international visitors from China, with plans underway to lure one million tourists in 2025, under the ‘Ni Hao Zhong Guo’ programme.

To capitalise on Sri Lanka being identified as one of the best 20 destinations for tourism by China, discussions and efforts are being rolled out to rapidly increase the tourist arrival rate from that country, so that the island nation can obtain a financial benefit of Rs.225 billion, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairman Priantha Fernando told Mirror Business.

The first Chinese tourist group to Sri Lanka through the Ni Hao Zhong Guo programme is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka between January and February 2024.

While a road map has been drafted, the officials of Sri Lanka Tourism will travel to China in the coming days to firm up the series of activities planned for the endeavour.

Fernando shared that the Social Empowerment State Ministry has been collaborating with its Chinese counterparts to develop the Ni Hao Zhong Guo Smart Tourist Service System, designed specifically for high-profile Chinese tourists.

The programme will also be a platform to promote RMB-based tourism activities for Chinese tourists.

One of the programme’s key components is to launch the Sri Lanka-Maldives itinerary for Chinese tourists, a move that will help increase the tourist arrival numbers from China.

As per the road map, the collaboration of tour operators from both countries is identified as ‘crucial’ to creating a convenient environment for tourists, starting from the initial planning stage of the tour until their return home.

Fernando noted that to provide a travel experience that meets the requirements of Chinese tourists, efforts must be taken to have a Chinese-friendly ‘environment’.

For this, the road map highlighted that Sri Lanka must work towards having hotels/resorts owned, built, purchased or leased by investors from China.

Efforts must also be taken to form joint ventures between China and Sri Lankan hotels.

The road map also calls for the deployment of Chinese guides at airports in Sri Lanka, especially at immigration centres, customs offices in passenger terminals, bank/currency exchanges located in the departure and arrival lobby areas and mobile communication service centres.

Further, making available all descriptive documents in Chinese languages is a key highlight in the road map. The report proposes introducing QR code facilities for a paperless and convenient experience for tourists, hotels and tour facilitators.

However, seat capacities between the two countries remain a major concern and remain to be addressed.

Comments - 8

Martin Kingsford Tuesday, 09 January 2024 07:43 AM

All the good seafood is being exported. The local meat is so “tough” that one must assume the cows were killed the day before natural expiry. Pollution in Kandy is unbearable. Air pollution is terrible country wide. Improve basic amenities first. And don’t get me going about Poya days being thrust down my throat.

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Adwani Tuesday, 09 January 2024 08:22 AM

Chinese tourists are mostly business minded. They try to settle down in SL and do business.

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Discipline Tuesday, 09 January 2024 09:24 PM

Because they are hard working, disciplined, daring

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Cherath Tuesday, 09 January 2024 08:30 AM

1 million or 10 million tourists, when they come what are they offered, other than sightseeing of historic places with their monuments and what nature provided - beaches, waterfalls and mountains? Only 5 * hotels provide, cockroach ant free rooms with quiet AC. Sky trains, subways, electric fast trains, balloon rides, river and sea ferries, floating markets, food courts with international cuisines at every junction and towns, cable cars and night entertainments are a distant dream. There is not even a shuttle/link train from the single airport we have, to the city. To attract foreign tourists you just cannot keep selling the same old tune of "paradise" or "pearl of the East" Tourists will come when you offer them value for money in comforts and facilities.

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Sokrates Tuesday, 09 January 2024 09:45 AM

It is absolutely stupid to provide a travel experience that meets the requirements of Chinese tourists. Something like this must apply to all tourists and not just to Chinese people. It would be better to teach Sri Lankans Chinese language instead of letting countless Chinese people into the country and thus taking jobs away from Sri Lankans. I strongly warn against leaving hotels or other tourist infrastructure to China. Otherwise it will end like in Laos, which is under the control of China. In many tourist towns on the Laos coast, all hotels, restaurants and other things are Chinese-owned. Laotians have not visited this coastal strip for a long time; they are practically excluded from it in their own country.

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Dark Humour Tuesday, 09 January 2024 10:27 AM

In 2048 Sri Lankans of all races will be like the Aborigines' of Australia. Indian and Chinese origin Sri Lankans (who has dual citizenships) will own the economy and services (electricity, transport and others). There may be some tours organized for tourists to visit and see "indigenous Sri Lankans" and our grand children will be shown to them. They may have to do some dances, sing baila etc and entertain the tourists. However the GDP will be high and the country will be developed. Some of our grand children may be lucky to have agro jobs in the Ganja farms in the Thanamalwila area which will be an export crop (like how opium developed Hong Kong)

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Other Asian countries waiting for them Tuesday, 09 January 2024 11:03 AM

The Chinese who visit SL are contributing to the economy. So many countries especially in Asia are waiting for their arrival due to their extended lockdown. B4 covid, most of them were contributing to the tourism industries of Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, Singapore etc.

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Seqi Wednesday, 10 January 2024 12:49 PM

Socrates, why tell lies about Laos. Laos is a land locked country..... coast of Laos. Get a life mate.

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