Calls for Indian travelers to boycott the Maldives are “absolutely” helping Sri Lanka’s travel industry, the country’s Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said on Thursday.
“The Maldives issue … helps us,” Fernando told CNBC, referring to a social media controversy in January that resulted in a sharp drop in Indian visitors to the Maldives this year.
India was the Maldives’ largest source market in 2023. But it now ranks 6th, behind arrivals from China, Russia, the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany, according to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Tourism.
In contrast, nearly 34,400 Indian travelers went to Sri Lanka in January, more than double the 13,759 who visited last January, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Arrivals in the first quarter of 2024 exceeded the same period in 2023, despite a drop in April caused by a visa row that saw Sri Lanka’s visa requirement temporarily doubled.
Fernando also noted the close relationship between Sri Lanka and India, both in business and tourism.
“Sri Lanka is a big market [Indian travelers]”Sri Lanka has more to offer… Sri Lanka has more value when it comes to India.”
He mentioned the country’s beaches, casinos, shopping and the Ramayana Trail, a series of sites mentioned in the Ramayana, an ancient Hindu epic.
In addition, the two countries are very connected, he said.
“Connectivity — that’s the enabler,” he said. “Sri Lankan Airlines alone flies 80 times a week to Indian airports”.
India’s growing travel powerhouse
Indian travelers are set to become the world’s fourth largest travelers by 2030, a prediction that “absolutely” bodes well for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, Fernando said.
“I think the fastest growing economy is India and Sri Lanka is definitely benefiting from it,” Fernando said, adding that Indian companies have made significant investments in the island.
“ITC, the big hotel chain, has opened its first hotel from India in Sri Lanka. We just opened it a few weeks ago and it’s a beautiful property … in Galle Face,” he said, referring to the oceanfront area. capital of the country, Colombo. “It’s one of the best things I’ve ever seen in my life.”
An idea of the Maldives in Sri Lanka
Fernando said he hopes to see more investment from global brands come to Sri Lanka – investment that fled the “Island of Tears” as it fought a 25-year civil war that ended in 2009.
“We have invited a lot of investment from abroad,” he said. “We’re building some beach bungalows in our new area – like an idea for the Maldives – because we’re surrounded by the beach.”
Fernando also outlined plans to add adventure activities that will attract younger travelers, from hot air balloons to skydiving and scuba diving to explore more than 100 nearby wrecks dating back to World War II, he said.
With the concert economy driving a tourism boom, Sri Lanka plans to bring in musical performances to attract tourists as well, Fernando said.
“We are building Sri Lanka as an entertainment hub,” he said. “We have a lot of big names coming to play.”