Date:02/06/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/06/02/stories/2004060201190500.htm

Back Good response to Taj group's Lanka package

C.J. Punnathara

Colombo , June 1

THE `Best of Sri Lanka' package unveiled by the Taj group of hotels has elicited a strong and positive response among Indians living in the mainland.

Speaking to a group of visiting journalists to the island nation, Mr Praveen Nair, General Manager of the Taj Samundra, Colombo, said: "From 32,000 Indian visitors, the number shot up to 66,000 in 2002-03 and further to 78,000 last year. Going by the response to our `Best of Sri Lanka' package, we expect the numbers to breach the 100,000 mark this year."

Elaborating, Mr Ranjan Stanislaus, General Manager of the Taj Exotica, Bentota, said: "There is no point in Sri Lanka looking to the countries of the West to boost her tourism potential. If we are in a position to attract even one per cent of the Indian tourists going overseas, we can realise the true potential of Sri Lanka tourism."

Last year, India overtook the UK in generating the maximum tourist inflow to Sri Lanka.

Going by current trends, India will contribute significantly to the tourist inflows this year as well.

With prime properties in Sri Lanka, Maldives and South India, the Taj group is creating a tourist triangle linking the idyllic tourist destinations of these nations. And the Taj Garden Retreat at Thiruvananthapuram is becoming the gateway to this circuit.

Visitors who have been flocking to the beaches and backwaters of Kerala have now begun to extend their trip to Sri Lanka and Maldives. This is becoming more common among Indians than foreigners.

The `Best of Sri Lanka' package offers everything that an Indian tourist might want - hill stations, beaches, city tourism, plantations, history and even religion.

It includes a halt to Kandalama Hotel, which is set in a forest environment rich in bird and wildlife, with visits to an elephant orphanage. There is also a visit the invigorating mountain climate at Nuwara Eliya. Beach tourism comes to the forefront at Taj Exotica at Bentota and the Taj Samudra at Colombo. There is immense shopping potential at Colombo as well.

The package starts from $575 (Rs 26,000) for all-inclusive package per couple for a four-night stay to $945 (Rs 42,000) for the seven-night package.