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Monday, March 01, 2010 - 09.30 GMT |
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'I saw Sri
Lanka as the "Paradise of Asia"- Minister of
State of Belgium |
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"I saw
Sri
Lanka as
the
"Paradise
of Asia"
and was
happy to
see it
forge
ahead,"
said
Minister
of State
of the
Belgium
Government
Jos
Chabert
inaugurating
the
BELASIA
in
Brussels
recently.
He
commended
the
sense of
partnership
generated
by
BELASIA
to bring
the East
and West
together
and saw
it as an
opportunity
to learn
from
each
other’s
capacities
and
advantages,
to
stimulate
synergies
and
raise
confidence
in
relations.
He hoped
that
this
exposure
of Asia
in
Belgium,
this
year
particularly
highlighting
Sri
Lanka,
would
stimulate
the
Belgians
to visit
these
countries
and
build
strong
partnerships
in the
future.
The Sri
Lanka
Embassy
in
Brussels
in
collaboration
with Sri
Lanka
Tourism
held a
week
long
promotion
of Sri
Lanka in
Brussels,
a
programme
intended
to be
replicated
in other
European
Capitals.
Centered
on Sri
Lanka's
participation
as the
host
country
at the
BELASIA
annual
travel
fair
which
projects
over 25
Asian
countries
as a
tourist
destinations,
it
included
tourism
and
travel
promotion,
a Sri
Lanka
Food
festival,
performances
by a Sri
Lankan
dance
troupe
and Sri
Lankan
lace,
masks,
handicrafts
and gem
displays.
Sri
Lanka
was
honoured
to have
been
selected
as the
host
country
of
BELASIA,
a key
event in
the
tourism
calendar
of
Belgium,
said Sri
Lanka's
Ambassador
to
Belgium,
Luxembourg
and the
European
Union
Ravinatha
Aryasinha.
He said
this
exhibition
could
not have
come at
a better
time,
for
having
overcome
both the
natural
calamity
caused
by the
tsunami
and the
man made
damage
caused
by 30
years of
terrorism,
Sri Lank
tourism
was
gathering
unprecedented
momentum.
Observing
that in
January
2010,
tourist
arrivals
to Sri
Lanka
had
increased
by 32%
over the
corresponding
period
last
year, he
said
"tourists
to Sri
Lanka
had
clearly
voted
with
their
feet".
He said
Belgians
from all
walks of
life and
cutting
across
age
brackets
were
regular
visitors
to Sri
Lanka
over the
years,
and
expressed
confidence
that
BELASIA
would
serve as
a
catalyst
in
further
promoting
Sri
Lanka in
Belgium,
as wells
in other
parts of
Europe.
The
Managing
Director
of Sri
Lanka
Tourism,
Dileep
Mudadeniya
observed
that
there is
an
increased
demand
with the
expected
increase
of air
seats by
the
national
carrier
for
Paris.
Sri
Lanka
Tourism
will be
able to
recover
the lost
market
share
from
Belgium
in the
past.
Europe
has come
back
strongly
with an
overall
increase
of 36.3%
in
January2010.
Europeans
always
look for
sunny,
warm
weather
with
diversity.
Sri
Lanka
will be
the
ideal
destination
for
them. It
was
extremely
encouraging
to
notice
the
renewed
interest
of the
Belgian
visitors
for the
destination
Sri
Lanka.
Also Sri
Lankan
Airlines
got very
positive
feedback
from the
visitors
on the
renewed
non-stop
operations
between
Paris
and
Colombo
from
02nd
July
onwards,
he said.
The
Belgian
travellers
have
always
privileged
travelling
via
Paris,
either
by train
or coach
and
therefore
this
reinstated
nonstop
service
comes
exactly
at the
right
time,
the
Managing
Director
of Sri
Lanka
Tourism
further
stated.
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