Dissanayaka: More Sri Lankans should visit Yunnan

Sri Lanka exhibition area in the 2023 CITM (Photo by Wang Yunya/Yunnan Daily)

Blue ocean, golden beach, sunset glow and image of elephants are typical elements of Sri Lanka. And these formed the Sri Lanka exhibition area on the 2023 China International Travel Mart (CITM) held from Nov. 17 to 19. On the small stage outside the booth, traditional folk dance of the country won visitors’ applause.

“Chinese tourists love our performance when they tour to Sri Lanka,” said Dissanayaka. “Every time I got a chance to expos, I would like to take the troupe with us to better introduce Sri Lanka tourism.” As the Chinese market manager of Exotic Global Holiday (Pvt) Ltd., Dissanayaka has been to the Mart for several times.

He is fond of Yunnan folk songs and dances, so he has watched such performances in Kunming for many times. Though different countries have various culture and performance style, he thinks that both China and Sri Lanka are similar in culture.

“It is the first time for some of our stuff here to visit Yunnan. We like the lovely environment and pleasant weather,” said Dissanayaka. When talking about Sri Lanka, he even used a Chinese idiom to describe it.

“Sri Lank is an island surrounded by blue ocean. And the travel resources here are concentrated. You can see golden and white beaches, wild animals and time-honored cultural heritages here,” said Dissanayaka.

He knows that Yunnan also has abundant resources in this field. So, Yunnan’s experience in managing tourism will help him in promoting his homeland’s tourism. “We also have elephants, the same as you do. And now the direct flight from Kunming to Sri Lanka only takes about 5 hours. So fast,” added him.

“I do hope to meet more companies, agencies and tourists that are interested in the tourism projects in Sri Lanka. Just come and visit my country,” said Dissanayaka.

“Meanwhile, we are hoping to know about Yunnan’s tourism, too. And then, more Sri Lankans could tour in Yunnan, get closer to China, and experience culture.”

Source: Yunnan Daily; trans-editing by Wang Yunya