Sri Lanka participated at the ‘Vakantiebeurs’- 2010 in Utrecht in the Netherlands which was held from 12th to 17th of January 2010. The ‘Vakantiebeurs’, is an annual Trade and Consumer Travel Fair which is considered to be the largest event in the Benelux travel market, attracts thousands of tour operators, travel trade professionals, travel journalists, consumers and others in the tourism trade. While over 1600 exhibitors from 160 countries participate at this Fair, it attracted more than 20,000 professionals and 125,000 visitors.
The Fair has been held since 1970 in Utrecht and Sri Lanka has been taking part in the Fair for the past 28 years. The ‘Vakantiebeurs’ provides a strategic platform to Sri Lanka to get in touch with potential Dutch visitors as well as establish contacts with tour operators and travel writers in the Benelux region.
The Netherlands is one of the top ten market sources for tourism to Sri Lanka which recorded 15,797 arrivals in 2008. With the end of terrorism in May 2009 the tourist arrival from the Netherlands is observed to be increasing rapidly. Under the coordination of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board, seven (7) companies namely Jetwing Travels, Heritage Expeditions, Airwing Tours, Sunway holidays, Andrews Travels, Lanka Sports Rizen and Journeyscape promote Sri Lanka tourism at the Fair.
The Sri Lankan pavilion at the ‘Vakantiebeurs’ was inaugurated by the Ambassador to the Netherlands Mrs. Grace Asirwatham on 12th January.
Sri Lanka Embassy/ The Hague
January 14, 2010
