Realizing the touristic value of this legendary story, Sri Lanka Tourism has invited to one of the top Indian regional TV Channels ‘TV9’ during the month of June, to create a promotional TV Documentary targeting regional communities and sates of India. Under this promotional media activity the proposed ‘Ramayana TV Documentary’ will be aired on five different sates of India, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andra, Thelengana and Karnataka.
The documentary will be translated into various regional and international languages including Telugu, Kannada, Marathi,Gujarati and English. It will be on aired during the month of August, just before one of the India's main religious event called Diwali which will be taking in place 30th October. Diwali festival commemorates Lord Rama's return to his kingdom Ayodhya after completing his 14-year exile.
The proposed media familiarization tour has been designed and organized under the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau's Visiting Journalist program and the project went on covering 20 popular Ramayana sites around the island within 13 days. Greater level of support has been given into this destination promotional program by the members of The Hotel Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) and Sri Lanka Inbound Tour Operators Association (SLAITO).
As the neighboring nation (India) with about 1.3 Billion of population, India has been a resourceful outbound destination for growing Sri Lankan tourism sector. It is also known as the motherland for Hinduism and home to over 1 billion devoted Hindus which is over 80% from the total population. According to the census 2011, around 80 %of the Indians practice Hinduism. Especially the certain sates such as Gujarat heavily influenced by Hinduism where there are about 70 million populations and over 89.6 % are Hindus.
Also, in Maharashtra, the Hindus percentage is well over 80%. Simultaneously, in Andra Pradesh and Karantaka the hindu devotees percentage followed by average of 80 % and 89 %. Meanwhile, within the current growing economic conditions, Indian middle class is expanding. Especially the urban middle class population in such states like Gujarat having a healthy disposable income where they are willing to travel abroad to have a quick escape from their day today busy lifestyle. So, considering the much needed leisure requirements, seeking of spirituality base on the own cultural roots and most importantly the affordability, the destination Sri Lanka will be a very strong contender to attract many potential outbound Indians. While, planing to broadcast the ‘Ramayana TV documentary’ just before the Dewali main event in India, Sri Lanka Tourism expect to increase potential Indians’ awareness about Sri Lanka and offer a fresh holiday opinion to take a time off with loved once during the upcoming holiday season.
While organizing such media related promotional familiarization programs, Sri Lanka Tourism expect to further expand states of the spiritual and religious tourism segments in the island. Relatively, various development projects are been taking in place to develop tourism aspects of the selected Ramayana sites in much sustainable manner.
Moreover, such promotional exercises will also aid to differentiate inbound tourism sector and add vibrancy into global image of destination Sri Lanka.
Overall, Indian tourists arrival are increasing gradually parallel to the current growth in nation's tourism industry. In the seven months to July total number of tourists’ arrivals were 1,173,618 (16.7% growth) and India contributed 200,506 arrivals with a 17.9% growth.
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