Being awarded with four international endorsements at the very beginning of 2025 and yet more to come, Sri Lanka Tourism kick started it’s first travel fair for the year 2025 , which was Ferien Messe Wien 2025, held from 16th to 19th January 2025 at Vienna , Austria.Sri Lanka Participated in collaboration with the Sri Lankan High Commission in Austria , and with their support ,encouraging the modern traveler to be aroused by Sri Lanka’s tradition , cultural heritage, delectable cuisine and the world renowned hospitality. The Sri Lankan delegation consisted of 14 Industry stakeholders and the beautifully designed Sri Lanka Pavilion attracted the Austrian visitors to pay a visit to the stall and get a delightful surprise by tasting Authentic Sri Lankan cuisine and traditional sweetmeats. The event attracted more than 71,000 visitors, offering them an inspiring blend of breathtaking experiences, global travel trends, and exciting entertainment. With participation from over 430 national and international exhibitors, the event provided an unparalleled platform for showcasing destinations, culinary delights, and cultural traditions. The Sri Lanka Pavilion stood above the rest as it offered some unique experiences for the visitors which they thoroughly enjoyed. Parallel to the main event, Sri Lanka Tourism organized some exciting items such as traditional dance performances, tea promotions, Sri Lankan food tastings, further enhancing its cultural experience for the visitors, enhanced with raffle draw and prizes, to add more excitement. The welcome dance acts, including “Hansa” (Swan Dance), mesmerized the audience and highlighted Sri Lanka’s rich artistic heritage.
This year’s Sri Lanka pavilion was also based on ‘’ Sustainable Tourism ‘’ which is a much discussed topic related to Tourism these days.
Sri Lanka was given the exclusive opportunity to highlight its unique offerings through video presentations in German language and traditional dance performances. SLTPB also invited special guests and influencers including Goofy.tv (Colja & Gabriel) a couple of popular TikTok bloggers to present their experiences from their 14-day Media Familiarization Tour in Sri Lanka. Their TikTok content has already garnered millions of views, significantly boosting Sri Lanka’s visibility among younger audiences. Ms . Renate Reisch, Renowned author of “Sri Lanka – faszinierende Begegnungen (Fascinating Encounters),” shared her insights and experiences as well. The other invitee was Mr. David Rodriguez Coronado, Winner of last year’s raffle draw, who presented his 14-day tour in Sri Lanka, captivating the audience with his vivid storytelling. The culinary section was led by the highly experienced chef Ruwan Fernando, who has over 25 years of experience in the culinary sector. Chef Fernando prepared iconic Sri Lankan dishes such as “Kottu Roti,” vegetable roti, and special spicy curry using fresh curry leaves, rampe, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and other authentic Sri Lankan spices.
Among other Sri Lankan items which impressed the visitors were the Travel Cinema / Silent Cinema screenings which displayed it’s vibrant wild life parks, exotic wildlife, included in special screenings such as the ‘’ Great elephant gathering of Asia’’ (Minneriya National Park ) an award winning wildlife film . The film resonated deeply with the Austrian travelers known for their interest in wildlife and eco-tourism. The screening was supported by Ms. Oshini Gunawardena, who was the daughter of the producer , delivering a German-language presentation, adding depth and context to the film. The visitors did not regret their participation at the Sri Lankan pavilion, for they received Sri Lanka’s exquisite traditional handicrafts, such as wooden masks and branded elephants, promotional items, including Sri Lankan branded caps, key tags, and brochures ass souvenirs. Ceylon Tea, a centerpiece of Sri Lanka’s identity, was a common favorite throughout the event as well. The raffle draw proceeded in collaboration with 3 DMC ‘s , where the winners received travel vouchers for 3 night / 4 day beach resort stays and wellness packages, including Ayurveda treatments. Prizes were distributed through the Sri Lanka Mission in Vienna, generating excitement and goodwill among attendees.
Sri Lanka Tourism was exclusively highlighted and established it’s potential by showcasing the impressive tourism products, and the myriad of tourist attractions it had to offer. Sri Lanka’s participation gained exclusive media attention through both print, electronic, and social media. The Sri Lankan delegates were able to attract the numerous amount of influencers, authors, and previous visitors, in displaying Sri Lanka’s image as a must-visit destination among Austrian travelers. Sri Lanka’s participation was a resounding success as it ‘s unique beauty increased the curiosity of the Austrian travelers to select it as their future holiday destination. The event was further enhanced by the participation of State Secretary for Tourism Ms. Susanne Kraus-Winkler and other Austrian diplomats, which added more value to the event, introducing them to Sri Lanka’s culture and traditions. Thus Sri Lanka was able to gain a successful outcome of its participation at the Ferien Messe Wien 2025, by targeting the Austrian market as one of the possible high end travel markets for Sri Lanka this year.
Given the necessary promotion, Austria can be highlighted as one of the top source markets for Sri Lanka as the Austrian arrival target for this year stands at 24,500, whereas it was 17,100 last year. This could also help to make Sri Lanka reach its main target of 3 million this year, further increasing the surge of tourist arrivals for the year 2025.
