Sweden takes Sri Lanka by storm

Sweden is yet another new market for the already growing list of inbound tourist markets for Sri Lanka. Swedish charter Tour groups have already prioritized to include the Sri Lankan market for winter 2010.

Three of the largest charter tour operators in the Scandinavian country will start flying their customers to the paradise island by November 28, 2010. The major tour groups in Sweden, Apollo, Fritidsresor and Ving will transport tourists twice a week to Sri Lanka.

During the forthcoming winter season approximately 7000 Swedish charter tourists (400 per week) are expected to visit the island. They will be departing from Stockholm, Gothenburg and Copenhagen and reach their holiday destination approximately 12 hours, with a refuelling stop on the way.

"The Scandinavian market has enormous potential and it is a growth market for us in the near future.

They have shown tremendous interest in Sri Lanka over the last year.

We see the potential for this market to be a strong contender for the top spot in inbound tourism to Sri Lanka", said Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.

The main attraction for the Swedes are the pristine beaches, beautiful nature, national parks with very rich fauna: where one can find herds of elephants, leopards, monkeys and bear.

Currently Swedish production house Meter Film and Television are in the island on invitation from the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. Now, they are in Koggala shooting for internationally acclaimed reality show 'High School Reunion'. The reality program will showcase the unique facets of the country and down south in particular. High School Reunion will be aired on Kanal 5 rated among the top five most watched TV channels in Sweden with an 85% viewership rate.

"We have constant queries from many international production houses who are keen to come down and shoot in Sri Lanka. The unique combination that encompasses, beaches, vistas, wildlife culture and luxury all rolled into a compact offering", says Managing Director of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Dileep Mudadeniya.

This follows a significant growth in the overall tourist arrivals for 2009 in a climate of a global economic crisis. The December figures alone registered a 16 percent growth when compared to 2008. More good news for Sri Lanka comes in the form of New York Times and the Daily Candy Washington, both recently declaring Sri Lanka as the No. 1 tourist spot for holiday makers.