New Directions For Tourism Growth And Innovation: Sri Lanka-germany Conference Explores Path To Sustainable Growth

Published on September 10, 2025

The Sri Lankan-German Tourism Conference 2025, hosted by nan Delegation of German Industry and Commerce successful Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka), took spot nether nan guidance of nan German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy’s (BMWi) Market Entry Program. The arena aimed to foster collaboration betwixt German and Sri Lankan tourism professionals, authorities officials, and manufacture leaders. By addressing cardinal challenges and exploring strategies for growth, nan convention emphasized Sri Lanka’s imaginable to summation its entreaty to German travelers and amended its positioning arsenic a sought-after recreation destination.

Germany’s Significance arsenic a Key Source Market for Sri Lanka

The value of nan German marketplace successful Sri Lanka’s tourism manufacture was highlighted by AHK Sri Lanka Chief Delegate Martin Klose, who reiterated that Germany remains a captious root of visitors for nan island. His comments underscored nan increasing imaginable for collaboration betwixt nan 2 nations, which could further heighten Sri Lanka’s attractiveness arsenic a picnic destination.

Key Discussions connected Sri Lanka’s Tourism Challenges

One of nan focal points of nan convention was nan first sheet chat titled “What German Travelers Expect and How Sri Lanka Can Deliver.” Experts connected nan sheet discussed nan strengths of Sri Lanka, specified arsenic its breathtaking natural beauty, rich | taste heritage, and lukewarm hospitality, each of which entreaty to German visitors. However, they besides warned that these advantages mightiness not beryllium capable to enactment competitory successful an progressively crowded location tourism market. Urgent measures were deemed basal to amended Sri Lanka’s infrastructure, marketing, and policies to forestall losing crushed to neighboring destinations.

The Need for Proactive Marketing and Consistent Strategy

Aitken Spence Travels Ltd. Managing Director Nalin Jayasundera emphasized nan value of going beyond organic growth and taking decisive action to meet Sri Lanka’s eager tourism targets. Jayasundera based on that while tourism has been identified arsenic a privilege industry, overmuch much needs to beryllium done successful position of proactive campaigns. A much global trading strategy is basal to thief nan state execute its goals of attracting 5 cardinal visitors by 2030 and generating $10 cardinal successful revenue.

One of Jayasundera’s astir important contributions was his telephone to reposition Sri Lanka arsenic a year-round destination. He explained that while Sri Lanka’s beaches, culture, and wildlife are disposable passim nan year, nan cognition of nan state arsenic a seasonal destination limits its potential. He urged that trading campaigns attraction connected showcasing nan island’s year-round offerings, making it a accordant destination prime for travelers, not conscionable during highest seasons.

Focusing connected Infrastructure and Connectivity

While Sri Lanka already boasts basal infrastructure, hotels, and tourer attractions, Jayasundera pointed retired that nan missing nexus is simply a strong and accordant trading strategy to beforehand these assets. He further explained that nan state has seen a diminution successful its competitiveness, peculiarly wrong nan German market. For instance, successful 1982, Sri Lanka welcomed 472,000 tourists, pinch 87,000 of them being Germans—accounting for 21% of nan market. By 2024, however, Germany’s publication dropped to conscionable 6%, contempt nan truth that 56 cardinal Germans traveled overseas successful 2024. Countries for illustration Thailand and Vietnam are outpacing Sri Lanka successful attracting German tourists, pinch Thailand already receiving complete a cardinal German visitors.

In his view, attracting visitors during nan summer months is important for balancing nan travel of visitors passim nan year. He projected respective measures to thief execute this balance, including accrued accessibility to regions for illustration nan East Coast, improved aerial connectivity, and much seamless entree to nationalist parks. Furthermore, he called for subsidized airfares, seasonal visa-free entry, and stronger inter-agency coordination to guarantee nan effective execution of these strategies.

Shifting Global Tourism Trends

Jayasundera besides emphasized that global tourism trends are shifting, and Sri Lanka must diversify beyond accepted offerings to entreaty to a broader scope of travelers. He pointed retired that while mass tourism centered astir beaches and taste circuits remains dominant, emerging segments for illustration eco-tourism, community-based tourism, and Ayurveda are seeing expanding demand, particularly among younger travelers. Furthermore, nan opportunities successful high-end tourism—including wellness retreats, long-stay vacations, and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) tourism—are mostly untapped. However, nan improvement of specialized infrastructure is cardinal to unlocking these imaginable markets.

The Need to Attract Mid to High-End Markets

Despite nan ongoing value of backpacker tourism, Jayasundera cautioned that nan state must attraction connected attracting mid to high-end markets to summation tourism revenue. He compared Sri Lanka to a goldmine, suggesting that nan state has abundant tourism imaginable but is failing to person this imaginable into important profits. By targeting a much divers scope of travelers, Sri Lanka could importantly heighten its wide tourism sector.

Safety and Warmth: What German Visitors Look For

The importance of safety for German visitors was discussed by Hilton Colombo Residences General Manager Karim Schadlou. He emphasized that for galore Germans, information is simply a apical priority, particularly for first-time travelers. However, beyond infrastructure, nan warmth and friendliness of nan Sri Lankan group time off a lasting impression. Many Germans return twelvemonth aft year, and immoderate moreover take to settee successful nan country, drawn by nan genuine hospitality that defines nan Sri Lankan experience. Schadlou expressed assurance successful nan country’s future and commended nan government’s efforts to amended nan tourism landscape.

A Female Traveler’s Perspective connected Sri Lanka

AHK Sri Lanka Project Manager Sabrina Kolb, who shared her individual experiences arsenic a female solo traveler, highlighted nan value of adjusting expectations erstwhile visiting Sri Lanka. She noted that nan country’s slower gait of life and sometimes little businesslike proscription systems mightiness require a displacement successful mindset for German travelers, who are accustomed to precocious efficiency. Nevertheless, Kolb stressed that her acquisition exceeded expectations, citing nan country’s openness, safety, and warmth arsenic cardinal factors successful her affirmative appraisal of Sri Lanka.

Wellness Tourism: Sri Lanka’s Unique Offering

Another cardinal chat focused connected nan increasing inclination of wellness tourism, peculiarly Sri Lanka’s unsocial Ayurvedic system, which could position nan land arsenic a starring destination for holistic wellness experiences. Asoka Hettigoda, Chairman and Managing Director of Siddhalepa Ayurveda, emphasized nan distinctiveness of Sri Lanka’s Ayurveda, which is profoundly rooted successful nan country’s taste practice and offers a holistic attack to wellness. With complete 600 indigenous medicinal plants recovered only successful Sri Lanka, Ayurveda offers thing unique, particularly erstwhile mixed pinch yoga, meditation, and earthy therapies. By promoting these experiences, Sri Lanka has nan opportunity to carve a niche successful nan world wellness tourism market.