The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Brussels represented Sri Lanka at the 62nd edition of ‘Vakantie Salon Vacances 2020’ (Holiday Fair at Brussels Expo) in Belgium from 06 to 09 February 2020 as sponsored by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB). The Holiday Fair 2020 was conducted on the themes of eco-tourism, dance and music around the world and adventure and sports tourism. The Brussels Holiday Fair was the leading tourism Fair in Belgium housed within an area of over 35,000 m² which brought together more than 350 exhibitors, 800 destinations and attracted over 100,000 visitors.
Sri Lanka pavilion was opened by Grace Asirwatham, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Belgium, the European Union and Luxembourg. Aitken Spence Travels and Andrew Travels, Walkers Tours, Butterflies Vacations, Big Smile Voyages and Sunway Holidays represented the tourism industry in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Army cultural troupe performed dances at the central stage of the Holiday Fair twice a day and regular performances around the Sri Lanka pavilion attracting many visitors to the pavilion.
Sri Lanka participates in the Brussels Holiday Fair every year as it serves as an important platform for Sri Lanka to reach out to the tour operators and potential tourists in Belgium. A gradual increase in the number of Belgium tourists visiting Sri Lanka is observed from 10,853 in 2011 to 17,204 in 2018.
The Embassy of Sri Lanka together with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau has planned many activities to continue to promote Sri Lanka tourism in the Flemish and Walloon regions in Belgium in 2020.
