<p> The Sri Lankan government has launched an ambitious tourism promotion programme here aiming to give a boost to the key revenue-generating sector of the island nation by attracting more Indian tourists.<br /><br />Sri Lanka Tourism Minister John Amaratunga presented a Ramayana Tourism Circuit at the Sri Lanka Tourism Roadshow organised here on Friday by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICCI), along with the Sri Lankan Tourism Promotion Bureau.<br /><br />The Minister said ferry service would be launched from Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka to Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu as part of the promotion of the Ramayana Tourism circuit.<br /><br />The Tamil Nadu government has given the green signal for this, Amaratunga was quoted as saying in a FICCI press release here.<br /><br />The Minister said the ferry service was expected to start this year-end after completing the procedures with the government of India.<br /><br />Amaratunga said Sri Lanka was trying to attract more tourists from South India.<br /><br />From this month, tourists visiting Sri Lanka would be provided free visas. With effect from August 1, tourists were offered a 50 per cent discount on hotel packages this season.<br /><br />Ground-handling charges in airports have been substantially reduced.<br /><br />Sri Lanka today has the highest number of concessions for its guests, the release quoted the Minister as saying.<br /><br />"The highest number of tourists visiting Sri Lanka are from India. Sri Lanka's revenues from tourism were US $4.3 billion last year", the Minister said.<br /><br />He said the free visa programmes and other facilities have been announced to encourage tourists from India.<br /><br />"Due to some internal problems, Sri Lanka has not been more important to tourists from South India for some time. But the situation has changed. Now our country is a safe destination," Amaratunga said.<br /><br />He said the new policies were part of a larger plan to revive the tourism industry.<br /><br />Felix Rodrigo, an advisor to the Minister of Tourism, delivered a presentation on Sri Lanka tourism at the roadshow.<br /><br />The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau assistant director Viranga Bandara introduced the features of Sri Lanka Tourism.<br /><br />Kochi district Collector S Suhas, FICCI co-chairman Deepak L Aswani, FICCI state tourism committee convener UC Riyas and FICCI state head Savio Mathew also spoke.</p>
<p> The Sri Lankan government has launched an ambitious tourism promotion programme here aiming to give a boost to the key revenue-generating sector of the island nation by attracting more Indian tourists.<br /><br />Sri Lanka Tourism Minister John Amaratunga presented a Ramayana Tourism Circuit at the Sri Lanka Tourism Roadshow organised here on Friday by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICCI), along with the Sri Lankan Tourism Promotion Bureau.<br /><br />The Minister said ferry service would be launched from Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka to Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu as part of the promotion of the Ramayana Tourism circuit.<br /><br />The Tamil Nadu government has given the green signal for this, Amaratunga was quoted as saying in a FICCI press release here.<br /><br />The Minister said the ferry service was expected to start this year-end after completing the procedures with the government of India.<br /><br />Amaratunga said Sri Lanka was trying to attract more tourists from South India.<br /><br />From this month, tourists visiting Sri Lanka would be provided free visas. With effect from August 1, tourists were offered a 50 per cent discount on hotel packages this season.<br /><br />Ground-handling charges in airports have been substantially reduced.<br /><br />Sri Lanka today has the highest number of concessions for its guests, the release quoted the Minister as saying.<br /><br />"The highest number of tourists visiting Sri Lanka are from India. Sri Lanka's revenues from tourism were US $4.3 billion last year", the Minister said.<br /><br />He said the free visa programmes and other facilities have been announced to encourage tourists from India.<br /><br />"Due to some internal problems, Sri Lanka has not been more important to tourists from South India for some time. But the situation has changed. Now our country is a safe destination," Amaratunga said.<br /><br />He said the new policies were part of a larger plan to revive the tourism industry.<br /><br />Felix Rodrigo, an advisor to the Minister of Tourism, delivered a presentation on Sri Lanka tourism at the roadshow.<br /><br />The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau assistant director Viranga Bandara introduced the features of Sri Lanka Tourism.<br /><br />Kochi district Collector S Suhas, FICCI co-chairman Deepak L Aswani, FICCI state tourism committee convener UC Riyas and FICCI state head Savio Mathew also spoke.</p>