Huge consumer show highlights Sri Lanka to Australia

By Daisy Doctor

The Sri Lanka Food and Culture show has been a huge success in Australia.

The consumer event, which ran between Saturday 25^th November and Sunday 26^th November in Sydney, has attracted more than 20,000 members of the travelling public over the two-day festival.

Occupying one of Sydney’s most famous sites at Darling Harbour the outdoor event, which was free to attend showcased the food, hoppers, handicrafts, gem stones, batik clothing and artwork from Sri Lanka.

Travel companies were also in attendance at the event that was designed to showcase Sri Lanka as a top destination for Australian travelers to visit.

The event was a culmination of work between the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) and the Sri Lankan Consulate in Sydney and continues both departments focus on Australia as a key market for growth in tourism numbers.

SLTPB’s Director of Marketing, Ms Madubhani Perera said, “Australia is now a very important market for us. We will be targeting more marketing activity at the nation, which has one of the highest rates of expenditure per capita on travel in the world,” she said.

Mrs Perera continued, “The has been significant growth in the number of Australian travelers arriving in Sri Lanka, we are working hard to ensure that this rapid growth continues for years to come and we are investing in order to make sure this happens.

Hosted by television celebrity and international travel presenter, David Whitehill, the heaving crowd was entertained with games, quizzes, giveways and cultural performances. Leading the stage shows was the Chandana Wickramasinghe Dancers Guild that was flown in from Sri Lanka to perform. There was also support from local Sri Lankan

community groups now living in Australia.

Attending the event was Bondi Beach local, Mrs Nancy Hromin who said, “The performers and the food have been incredible. I knew very little about Sri Lanka other than the conflict, but I visited the festival because some of my friends rave about the food. Now I know it’s a place I must travel to this year,” she said.

Mrs Hromin continued, “I’ve talked to some travel companies and I will be heading over there for a family holiday in March. I can’t wait to see the leopards and tea stations.”

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