Sri Lanka is keen to work with Bangladesh to promote the tourism sector of both countries by exploring historical links and marine archaeology.
A delegation from the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), led by Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sudharshan Seneviratne, recently visited the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (Atab) headquarters in Dhaka. During the visit, they participated in a business-to-business (B2B) network session and discussed collaboration in the sector between Dhaka and Colombo.
Sudharshan Seneviratne told Dhaka Tribune that religious links between the two countries would pave the way for interaction between their peoples as well as travel.
He also said Bangladesh is an important market for Sri Lanka to promote high-end tourism relating to meetings, incentive groups, conferences, exhibitions (MICE), and cruise tourism.
Although the number of visitors from Bangladesh to Sri Lanka had decreased over the past few years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and other factors, Sri Lanka is looking forward to increasing these numbers to around 25,000 visitors at the end of this year, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.
Online visa facilities
Sri Lankan Airlines country manager Sharuka Wickrama Adittiya told Dhaka Tribune: “For flights out of Dhaka to Sri Lanka, we have an online visa request method. If there is any technical glitch, an on-arrival visa will be granted.”
He said there may be some challenges in transferring funds between the countries, but there do not appear to be any other significant challenges.
‘'To promote tourism between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, an online visa system needs to be implemented, there need to be easier visa requirements, more connectivity and infrastructure in Bangladesh. In the recent past, there has been much development so tourism from Sri Lanka should increase soon,” he added.
The official further said Sri Lankan Airlines would endeavour to provide its best services, from departure to in-flight experience and return journey to all its passengers.
The airline is currently operating daily flights on the Colombo-Dhaka route.
Challenges in tourism sector
The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) said it is difficult to promote a beach destination for Sri Lankans, as Sri Lanka is an island with beautiful beaches around the country.
Its officials also pointed out that the heavy traffic jams and lack of cleanliness of Dhaka city were challenges to promoting tourism and urged the need to further improve infrastructure.
However, they said Bangladesh now has enough fuel for essential services such as buses, trains and medical vehicles, and praised steps that have been taken to give special importance to tourists for their pleasant stay and travel.
Madubhani Perera, director of SLTPB, told Dhaka Tribune: “Bangladeshi agents have an issue in remitting foreign currency directly to Sri Lanka.”
He also said there has been an increase in airfares for travel between the two countries.
Promotional plan
Members of the SLTPB delegation said the historical links and cultural similarities of both countries can be used to promote tourism.
Tourism products, such as Buddhist and Cultural Heritage sites in Sri Lanka, can be promoted.
Sri Lanka is also a good venue for small meetings, conferences and exhibitions and for attracting Incentive groups. Packages can be floated through coupling the Maldives and Sri Lanka for Bangladeshi travellers.
Similarly, for Sri Lankan travellers, Nepal and Bangladesh or India and Bangladesh could be coupled as a package.
Atab Secretary General Abdus Salam Aref said the association will continue to extend cooperation in promoting Sri Lanka among Bangladeshi tourists.
Both countries could jointly work to enhance and promote tourism benefiting each other, he added.