Around 200 Japanese tourists departed Narita International Airport for Sri Lanka on Sunday aboard a single SriLankan Airlines flight in a large organized group visit.
The group travelled aboard SriLankan Airlines flight UL455 and was organized by the Little Japan Group with support and facilitation from the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Japan.
Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Japan, Prof. Pivithuru Janak Kumarasinghe, and First Secretary (Commerce) Sandun Sameera met the visitors at Narita before their departure.
Around 200 tourists on one flight
The Embassy described the movement of around 200 Japanese tourists on a single flight as an encouraging development for tourism links between Sri Lanka and Japan.
According to the Embassy, it represents one of the largest organized groups of Japanese tourists travelling to Sri Lanka together.
The visitors are expected to travel to several Sri Lankan tourist attractions during their stay.
Their itinerary includes Sigiriya, while the group is also expected to experience traditional Ayurveda and wellness services.
Embassy supported visit
The visit was organized by the Little Japan Group with support, guidance and facilitation from Sri Lanka's Embassy in Japan.
Ambassador Kumarasinghe welcomed the travellers and expressed hope that increasing interest among Japanese visitors would strengthen tourism exchanges between the two countries.
A positive signal, not a national trend by itself
The arrival of a large organized group provides a positive indication for tourism links with the Japanese market.
However, a single group of approximately 200 travellers should not by itself be interpreted as evidence of a broad surge in Japanese tourist arrivals.
National tourism trends should be assessed using wider arrival statistics covering a meaningful period.