A high level delegation from Sri Lanka Tourism is currently attending the World Tourism Conference in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia from 4 to 6 October 2010.

Deputy Minister of Economic Development Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena met the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary General, Dr. Taleb Rifai during the conference and discussed avenues to develop Sri Lanka Tourism and to find possibilities of obtaining UNWTO assistance for Sri Lanka tourism development.

The conference is timely as the tourism industry is poised for a rebound in view of the pent-up demand for travel arising from the global economic crisis in 2009. In this regard, the negative growth of 4.3% rate for 2009 in international tourism is beginning to indicate positive outlook with 2% growth during the last quarter of the year. This momentum has continued and reflected favourably by an intensifying upward trend for the first four months of 2010. International tourist arrivals are expected to grow between 3% and 4% in 2010.

Sri Lanka will host the 23rd UNWTO Commission for Asia meetings next year. This will be attended by the UNWTO Secretary General, heads of national tourism organizations and international media.

Deputy Minister Abeywardhana handed over a Sri Lankan souvenir to Right Hon. Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman, Minister of Tourism, Malaysia at the World Tourism Conference following the discussion the on the tourism development between the two countries.