SriLankan Airlines organized “SRI LANKA: Land of smiling faces & Cultural Infusion”, together with the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Shanghai at the Radission Blue New Hotel, a prestigious 5-star hotel in the city centre, on 13th August 2012.
The event was to promote the destination among Shanghai-based travel agents and was attended by over 100 travel agencies. Most of them already work with SriLankan Airlines using the Airline for tours to Maldives and Thailand, but not necessarily to Sri Lanka. Therefore, the event was focused on highlighting what is special about Sri Lanka.
After welcoming remarks by Ms. Mayoni De Silva, Area Manager for Sri Lankan Airlines in Shanghai, Hasanthi Dissanayake, Consul General for Sri Lanka in Shanghai made a presentation focused on Sri Lanka’s unique cultural diversity due its archaeological heritage, multi-religious and multi-ethnic origins, colonial heritage, its strategic location connecting East and West in the ancient sea trade routes as well as its diverse nature and landscape and above all the culture of hospitality. She further highlighted the achievements that Sri Lankans have made in education and health sectors thanks to the welfare policies of the government and some of the key strides made in trade, investment and tourism sectors in the global arena.
Consul General also took the opportunity to inform that from 1st of July 2012, visa system had been made not only been made available online, but cheaper too.
This was followed by a presentation on SriLankan Airlines highlighting its history, capacity, facilities, the increase of 04 weekly flights to 07 since 15th July 2012, upcoming Golf Classic 2012 Tournament organized by SriLankan Airlines and the special tours connected to the same.
Ms. Chen Danyan, a renowned Chinese travel writer and a fiction writer for children and young adults, who is in the process of writing a Travelogue on Sri Lanka and has made a preliminary visit to Sri Lanka in May 2012, also shared her experiences with the audience which was warmly welcomed. She highlighted that Sri Lanka is such a special place where the Chinese can learn much, to gain life time learning on humanity and compassion, not just spending money and enjoying.
The event was followed by dinner sponsored by SriLankan Airlines.
Consulate General for Sri Lanka in Shanghai
14th August 2012
