The Minister of Tourism and Sport in Thailand, Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol, has expressed her full support and cooperation in bolstering Thai-Sri Lanka relations, particularly in the realm of tourism, with a focus on enhancing Buddhist religious tourism and fostering two-way tourism exchanges.
In a courtesy call, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand and Permanent Representative to UNESCAP, C.A. Chaminda I. Colonne, visited Thai Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol at the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of Thailand on Tuesday (Dec. 19), as stated by the Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Bangkok.
The purpose of the visit was to extend congratulations on the Minister of Tourism and Sports’ inauguration and to discuss ongoing mutual cooperation initiatives.
Minister Wangsuphakijkosol warmly welcomed Ambassador Chaminda Colonne, reciprocating the congratulations offered by the Ambassador. During the meeting, the Ambassador also urged the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of Thailand to encourage Thai investors to invest in the hospitality and tourism sectors in Sri Lanka.
Mr. Colonne emphasized that the Sri Lankan government recently waived visa requirements for Thai nationals to promote Sri Lanka as a preferred destination for Thai tourists.
The Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Bangkok reported that the Minister of Tourism and Sports is eager to promote two-way tourism with Sri Lanka, expressing confidence that the exemption from visa checks for Thai tourists will encourage more Thai visitors to travel to Sri Lanka.
Ambassador Chaminda Colonne extended an invitation to Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol to visit Sri Lanka at a convenient time in the near future, which was warmly accepted.
The discussion, attended by Head of Chancery A.W.S. Samanmali and First Secretary (Commercial) Vireshika Bandara, focused on strategies to enhance religious tourism and two-way tourism exchanges. The proposed initiatives include collaborating with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to create promotional materials for new Buddhist attractions, inviting Thai investors to invest in Sri Lanka’s tourism and hotel sectors, and seeking support from the Ministry of Tourism and Sport to encourage more investors to invest in Sri Lanka. Additionally, the waiver of visa requirements for Thai tourists was highlighted as a measure to attract more visitors to Sri Lanka, emphasizing the availability of national and low-cost airlines flying to the country.
