Sri Lanka – Italy Business Council and Italian Embassy Host Workshop on “Winning and Retaining Italian Tourists”

(Left to Right) SLITBC Vice President: Ms Dushy Jayaweera, SLITBC President: Mr Daminda Mulgama, H.E. Damiano Francovigh, DHoM Mr Alberto Arcidiacono, SLITBC Past President: Mr Janaka, SLITCB Committee Member: Ms Anika Williamson)
(Left to Right) Mr Miguel Cunat (Pekoe Trails). DHoM Mr Alberto Arcidiacono, Mr Buddhika Hewawasam (Chairman SLTDA), Mr Nalin Jayasundera (President SLAITO), Mr Hashan Cooray (Marketing Director – Jetwing Hotels)

The Sri Lanka–Italy Business Council of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in Colombo, hosted a workshop recently on  “Winning & Retaining Italian Tourists”, bringing together tourism industry leaders, diplomatic representatives, and travel experts from Italy.
Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Head of Mission at the Italian Embassy Mr. Alberto Arcidiacono highlighted the evolving preferences of Italian travellers, and the many unique experiences Sri Lanka has to offer that resonate with them.

The Keynote address was followed by a panel discussion on the Italian travel market, featuring Mr. Buddhika Hewawasam, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Mr. Nalin Jayasundera, President of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators and Managing Director Aitken Spence Travels, and Mr. Miguel Cuñat, founder and designer of Sri Lanka’s revolutionary 300km plus, 22-stage hiking route, the Pekoe Trail. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Hashan Cooray, Director – Marketing & Development at Jetwing Hotels.

The discussion centred around key themes such as the expectations of various Italian traveller segments, particularly luxury tourists, and what Sri Lanka must do to compete with regional rivals such as Thailand and Malaysia. The panellists also discussed the “wish list” of Italian travellers, including personalised itineraries, addressing language problems, and delivering authentic local experiences and high-quality service standards.

Joining the discussion virtually from Italy, three Italian travel agents shared their insights on traveler behavior, current booking trends, and the competitive positioning of Sri Lanka in the Italian market.

The event attracted an enthusiastic turnout, with participation from destination management companies and tour operators to airline representatives and online travel agents.

Cinnamon Life – City of Dreams was the Exclusive Event Venue Partner and Platinum Sponsor. Omega Line was the Gold Sponsor for the event.