Warsaw: Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, in collaboration with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Warsaw, participated as the ‘Partner country’ in the 30th Edition of the International Travel and Tourism Fair ‘TT Warsaw’ held from 29 November 2024 to 01 December 2024. The event marked an important platform for Sri Lanka to connect with a broader audience, enhancing its visibility and facilitating business interactions.

According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Sri Lanka, the ‘Partner country’ status provided Sri Lanka with a unique opportunity to promote itself as a prominent tourist destination in Central Europe. The TT Warsaw exposition is regarded as one of the largest and most significant travel and tourism exhibitions in Poland, aiming to foster partnerships in the tourism industry. Sri Lanka’s participation in this year’s edition was notable as it returned to the fair after a four-year hiatus, having been a participant since the event’s inception in 1993.

This year, Sri Lanka was represented by the Sri L
anka Tourism Promotion Bureau along with ten leading tour operators and travel companies, including Tropical Asia Tours, Jetwing Travels, Jetwing Hotels, Referber Holidays Ltd., Serendib Travel Holidays, Oriental Travels and Tours, Dilux Holidays, Ocean Gate Travels and Tours, and Mazarine Surf Beach Hotel. These entities worked collectively to market Sri Lanka’s tourism offerings to the European market, showcasing the country’s diverse tourist products and services.

The Sri Lanka stand was inaugurated by Priyangika Dharmasena, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Poland, along with Cezary Pazura, a renowned Polish actor who recently visited Sri Lanka on a tourism promotion tour. Throughout the exhibition, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau engaged in discussions with various key travel-related entities, including the Polish Chamber of Tourism, to further develop the Polish tourist market for Sri Lanka, which has already seen over 33,000 arrivals from Poland as of October 2024.

The Sri Lanka stall highlighted
the country’s natural beauty, heritage, and various tourist attractions, using visual aids and offering Ceylon tea to attract and inform visitors. The stand’s impressive presentation earned the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau a certificate and a medal for the best, most original, and professional stand in the ‘Trade Fair Exhibition’ category.

The exhibition featured nearly 120 exhibitors, including the Polish Chamber of Tourism, LOT Polish Airlines, and numerous other stakeholders in the tourism industry, and attracted over 20,000 visitors.