Sri Lanka Tourism brought travel agents, tourism leaders and media professionals together in Kochi to explore partnerships and promote holiday experiences
KOCHI: Sri Lanka Tourism has brought together travel agents, tour operators, tourism industry representatives and media professionals in Kochi to explore new business opportunities and strengthen tourism links between India and Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) hosted the Sri Lanka Tourism B2B Roadshow and Networking Evening – Kerala Series 2026 at Ramada by Wyndham, Kochi. The event focused on direct engagement between Sri Lankan tourism businesses and Kerala’s travel industry.
Direct Meetings Aim to Build Business Partnerships
The business-to-business sessions allowed Indian travel agents and tour operators to meet Sri Lankan tourism representatives, discuss travel products and explore ways to develop and promote itineraries.
The event also included a dedicated media networking session. This gave tourism representatives an opportunity to share destination information with journalists and other media professionals who could help expand awareness among Indian travellers.
The programme combined business meetings, destination presentations, airline information and cultural activities to encourage professional engagement.
Tourism Leaders from Kerala Participate
Heshani Kaushalya, First Secretary (Commerce) at the Deputy High Commission of Sri Lanka in Chennai, welcomed participants at the event.
Sanjaya Niroshana, Managing Director of SLTPB, presented Sri Lanka’s tourism offerings and spoke about the importance of closer cooperation with Indian travel businesses.
Kerala’s tourism sector was represented by Paulose K. Mathew, Managing Committee Member of TAFI’s Kerala Chapter; K. N. Shastry, former Chairman of TAAI, Kerala; and Johnson Manish, Secretary of the Tourism Professionals Club, Kerala.
Their participation highlighted the role of regional travel associations in connecting destination authorities with local businesses and developing tourism networks.
Airline Presentation Highlights Travel Access
Arfaz Nuwaiz, Manager at SriLankan Airlines, delivered an airline presentation and shared a promotional video. SLTPB also screened a destination video featuring Sri Lanka’s natural landscapes, heritage and holiday experiences.
The presentations highlighted the importance of air connectivity and destination information in helping Indian travel professionals promote holidays to Sri Lanka.
Multiple Tourism Segments on Offer
Sri Lanka’s tourism offerings cover beach holidays, wildlife experiences, heritage tourism, wellness and Ayurveda, adventure travel, luxury accommodation, family vacations, honeymoons and spiritual journeys.
These options allow travel businesses to explore packages for different customer groups and holiday preferences.
The event also featured traditional Sri Lankan cultural performances. After the formal programme and vote of thanks by SLTPB Assistant Director Shirani Herath, participants joined a raffle draw and networking dinner.
Strengthening Regional Travel Connections
The Kochi roadshow is part of SLTPB’s wider effort to strengthen its presence in India’s tourism market. By engaging with travel agents, industry associations and media professionals, the bureau aims to create stronger business relationships and improve awareness of Sri Lanka as a destination for Indian travellers.
