Travel & Destination Guides

The Sri Lanka Embassy in Belgium, together with Turkish Airlines, hosted a Destination Awareness Dinner on 29 April at the Sri Lanka Residence in Brussels, bringing together more than 40 representatives from Belgium’s travel and tourism sector.

The event attracted leading outbound tour operators, travel agents, and travel journalists, highlighting the growing interest among Belgian travelers in Sri Lanka as a tourism destination. Walkers Tours Pvt Ltd, one of Sri Lanka’s leading destination management companies, also participated in the event, showcasing the island’s diverse tourism experiences and travel services.

Held against the backdrop of ongoing challenges facing the global tourism and aviation industries, the gathering emphasized the importance of reliable air connectivity between Europe and Asia. Turkish Airlines was recognized for maintaining uninterrupted operations and providing a dependable travel link between Belgium and Sri Lanka through its extensive international network.

Addressing the audience, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium, Chandana Weerasena, highlighted the steady growth in European tourist arrivals, particularly from Belgium. He noted that Sri Lanka recorded its highest-ever tourist arrivals in 2025, both globally and from the Belgian market, and encouraged continued collaboration to further promote the island’s unique tourism offerings.

Minister Commercial at the Embassy, Thavishya Mullegamgoda, delivered a presentation outlining Sri Lanka’s diverse tourism landscape. She showcased the country’s attractions, including pristine beaches, cultural heritage sites, wildlife experiences, and emerging tourism segments such as weddings and honeymoons, eco-tourism, adventure travel, and MICE tourism.

Providing an industry perspective, Madura Hettiarachchi, Business Development Manager of Walkers Tours Pvt Ltd, introduced attendees to the company’s innovative travel experiences and integrated tourism solutions. As part of the John Keells Holdings Group, Walkers Tours works alongside brands such as Cinnamon Hotels and Cinnamon Air to offer comprehensive travel services, generating strong interest among participants.

Representing Turkish Airlines, Marketing Representative Amina Koktain highlighted the airline’s connectivity to Sri Lanka, including multiple daily flights from Brussels to Istanbul and 11 weekly services onward to Colombo. She also outlined the airline’s enhanced passenger experience, including its premium Business Class and award-winning Economy Class offerings.

Guests were treated to an authentic Sri Lankan dining experience, giving many attendees an opportunity to sample the island’s rich culinary traditions for the first time. The evening concluded with an interactive quiz, during which Erik Schoen of Uniglobe Robinson Travel won a return economy-class ticket to Sri Lanka sponsored by Turkish Airlines, while Maura De Brandt of BTS Travel received a complimentary land package, including accommodation and transfers, courtesy of Walkers Tours.

The event concluded successfully, further strengthening partnerships between Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, Belgian travel professionals, and Turkish Airlines, while reinforcing efforts to position Sri Lanka as a leading destination for European travelers.

Turkish Airlines partnered with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and the Sri Lankan Embassy in Romania to promote Sri Lanka as a premier travel destination during a tourism roadshow held in Bucharest on 18 May 2026.

Addressing the event, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Romania, Samantha Pathirana, highlighted Sri Lanka’s strong tourism performance, noting that the country welcomed a record 2.3 million visitors in 2025 and generated US$ 3.2 billion in tourism revenue. He also emphasized the growing potential of the Romanian outbound travel market and expressed confidence that tourist arrivals from Romania would continue to increase in the years ahead.

The roadshow brought together 40 Romanian travel companies and eight Sri Lankan travel companies, creating opportunities to strengthen business partnerships and promote Sri Lanka’s diverse tourism offerings to the Romanian market.

Turkish Airlines Romania Manager Hakki Gunte also addressed the gathering, reaffirming the airline’s commitment to supporting tourism development and enhancing connectivity between Sri Lanka and Romania. He highlighted Turkish Airlines’ role in facilitating travel and strengthening tourism links between the two countries.

The event formed part of ongoing efforts to increase Sri Lanka’s visibility in emerging European markets and attract a greater number of visitors by showcasing the island’s unique attractions, cultural heritage, natural beauty, and hospitality.