Embassy of Sri Lanka in Brussels and the Emirates Airlines jointly hosted the “Sri Lanka Destination Awareness Dinner” for a group of professionals from the tourism industry in Belgium promoting Asian destinations. The event took place at the Sri Lanka Residence on 17 October 2024.

Well over 40 participants including major outbound tour operators, travel agents, and professionals in the tourism sector in Belgium attended the evening, underscoring the growing interest in Sri Lanka as a premier tourist destination.

Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Belgium, Chandana Weerasena briefly explained Sri Lanka’s current growth in the tourism sector together with a remarkable economic recovery. He also emphasised how Sri Lanka is now ready to attract more foreign tourists, reinforcing the country’s stability as an ideal tourist destination. He encouraged participants to continue promoting Sri Lanka and to leverage the country's rich cultural and natural heritage. Minister/Commercial of the Embassy of Sri Lanka, Thavishya Mullegamgoda made an informative presentation on Sri Lanka’s authentic and diverse tourism products expanding from pristine beaches and historical sites to wildlife, biodiversity, and eco & sustainable tourism. She also introduced Sri Lanka’s specialised tourism segments ranging from wedding tourism to MICE tourism. In addition, the presentation outlined convincing reasons to choose Sri Lanka as a key travel destination that promises a variety of novel experiences and life-long memories.

The evening also featured a presentation by Senior Sales Executive at Emirates for Belgium and Luxembourg, Jan Vandenbranden and Sales Manager, Yves Vanhaak. They presented on the airline’s connectivity with Sri Lanka from Belgium and also referred to new travel options. Emirates now operates two daily flights from Brussels to Dubai, with 56 weekly flights connecting passengers to Sri Lanka through Emirates and FlyDubai. The airline has also introduced its Premium Economy cabin on flights between Belgium and Sri Lanka, in addition to its upgraded Business Class configuration, providing a unique travel experience for passengers. Moreover, Sales Manager Yves Vanhaak invited participants to join Emirates to further strengthen the collaboration between the airlines and promote Sri Lanka tourism.

During the event, Emirates hosted an engaging quiz, where attendees were tested on their knowledge about Sri Lanka and Emirates. The grand prize of two economy class tickets from Belgium to Sri Lanka was awarded to Product Manager at Omega Reizen Katrien, Van Der Auwera.

The event was effective in nurturing relationships between the Sri Lankan tourism and Belgian travel companies, and also in showcasing the strong relations between the Sri Lanka Embassy and Emirates BELUX.

All guests were served with authentic Sri Lankan cuisine, Ceylon tea and a gift bag containing promotional material.