From left: CDC Event and Travels Managing Director Imran Hassan, Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators President Harith Perera, Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs Minister John Amaratunga, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Chairman Kishu Gomes and Sacharaka Udawa 2019 Chairman Nishad Wijetunga – Pix by Ruwan Walpola
The ninth edition of the sole tourism and travel fair in Sri Lanka, Sancharaka Udawa, will be held on 7 and 8 June.
Sancharaka Udawa is organised by Sri Lanka Association of Tour Operators (SLAITO) in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB).
The momentous announcement of Sancharaka Udawa 2019 was made in the presence of Chief Guest Minister of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs John Amaratunga, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Chairman Kishu Gomes, Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators President Harith Perera, Sancharakaudawa 2019 Chairman Nishad Wijetunga, and CDC Events and Travels Ltd., (the Event Organiser for Sancharaka Udawa) Managing Director Imran Hassan.
The exhibition offers a unique platform for B2B and B2C sectors, while facilitating industry stakeholders to engage with related Government authorities.
Sancharaka Udawa is scheduled to be held on 7 and 8 June from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. to welcome an estimated 300 plus exhibitors and 10,000 plus visitors. The exhibiting space will be open to small, medium and large businesses related to tourism. This year’s edition will also feature outbound tourism industry stakeholders comprising of travel agents and airlines. The exhibition will culminate with a gala fellowship event for newcomers entering the industry and meeting veterans in the field. An award ceremony will also be held for Best Stall Creations.
The main objective of the exhibition is to create a platform for small and medium service providers in the industry to network and build vital links with tour operators and enter the wider tourism industry. The expected benefits will be a substantial increase in bookings to tourism service providers in the regions.
Furthermore, multiple benefits are expected to accrue for exhibitors in the form of brand visibility with Sri Lanka tourism in all digital and print marketing material, while reaffirming the commitment of Sri Lanka Tourism towards capacity building, upgrading infrastructure and resources of the industry.
Stalls for tourism related Government departments such as the Department of Wildlife Conservation, Tourist Police and other such organisations will be provided free-of-charge to build good rapport between these organisations and the industry. Several universities such as Colombo Uvawellassa, Kelanya, Sabaragamuwa and Rajarata have also been provided stalls free-of-charge in order to encourage students studying tourism an opportunity to interact with trade officials.
Interesting sessions have been organised concurrently, which will add value to trade visitors and the general public. In order to ensure that Sancharaka Udawa is a well-publicised event, a well-planned campaign will be executed to attract exhibitors, including an advertising campaign using digital and traditional methods and media, along with a road show.
