Sri Lanka was promoted as a premier travel destination at the Holiday Expo Gent held from 29 November to 02 December 2024 at Flanders Expo in Belgium.

The event which attracted well over 40,000 visitors was a B2C event, providing direct access to potential travelers in Belgium planning their holidays.

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Brussels, with the support of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, organized the Sri Lanka stand that promoted Sri Lanka’s unique tourism identity featuring tourism-focused banners, videos, brochures and maps.

Minister (Commercial) of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Brussels, Thavishya Mullegamgoda delivered a detailed 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 presented Sri Lanka’s specialized tourism segments ranging from wedding tourism, adventure tours to MICE tourism. Visitors were captivated by a video session showcasing the island’s stunning tourism offerings.

The combination of the Holiday Expo and the coinciding Countryside Lifestyle Exhibition expanded the audience reach, attracting a diverse group of visitors, including families, youth, adventure seekers, and culture enthusiasts, while also targeting affluent visitors in Belgium.

Visitors who had previously travelled to Sri Lanka shared their fond memories and expressed enthusiasm to revisit the country to experience and explore areas that they had missed during their previous travels. In addition, there were a number of visitors with diverse interests including tourists undertaking long haul vacations, families travelling with children, individuals interested in cuisine, wildlife and nature, cultural sites and adventure.

Belgian travellers planning to visit Sri Lanka in 2025 and those who have Sri Lanka on their bucket list visited the Sri Lanka stand where the Embassy representatives provided visitors with insights into Sri Lanka’s diverse unique tourism opportunities.

Sri Lanka’s participation in the fair has not only promoted the country as a brand but also created valuable networking opportunities within the travel industry in Belgium. Additionally, the ticketed fair attracted visitors from neighboring countries including Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France.