Sri Lanka's Apex Organisation for Export Promotion
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), as the apex organization for promoting exports, has identified the Health/Wellness Tourism sector as a key focus sector in terms of foreign exchange earnings and as a key sector in the National Export Strategy (NES). There is a clear synergy between global trends and Sri Lanka’s traditional health approaches. The country has natural and traditional endowments that can be used to foster a sustainable wellness tourism value chain that is deeply rooted in local communities and traditions. The growing interest in and demand for wellness services is a favorable global trend for the development of this industry in Sri Lanka. Many countries and destinations are defining themselves as wellness tourism destinations but most do not have Sri Lanka’s rich cultural and wellness lifestyle based heritage. The Average spending of a wellness traveler is around US$ 250 which is far beyond the spending of a general tourist or backpackers.
The 22nd Presidential Export Awards Ceremony was held to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the Exporters at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, on September 18, 2018, under the patronage of His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena the President of Sri Lanka.
Following is the address by Minister Malik Samarawickrama at the Presidential Export Awardson 18 September
Being the Strategic Partner of the Sri Lanka Investment and Business Conclave 2018 organized by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) 2018 from 19th to 21st June 2018, the EDB collaborated with CCC in organizing foreign buyers delegation for the event considering the benefits that will accrue to the development of exports through establishment of trade links, creating investment opportunities into the export sectors and image building efforts of the country.
The Export Development Board (EDB) announced that ‘wellness tourism’ would be added to the export basket from this year onwards, setting an initial $ 2 million target for the sector.
The EDB organised a wellness tourism seminar with Dr. Franz Linser, international wellness tourism expert from Austria on 27 February at the EDB. Around 70 participants from the Ayurveda resorts, Spa centers, Private hospitals, travel companies and tourism consultants participated this seminar along with some government officials overlook this sector.
The Sri Lanka Exports Development Board (EDB) has invited Linser Hospitality Austria Managing Director Dr. Franz Linser, who is an internationally renowned wellness tourism expert, to conduct a seminar and consultancy session to the Sri Lankan Wellness Tourism service sector.
On 23 January, Sri Lanka marked a significant watershed in the development of its economy when it signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Singapore after 18 months of negotiations between the trade negotiation teams of both countries.
Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are playing an increasingly important role in the implementation of the digitalisation of economic activities and trade which can support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalisation and growth of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to ICT-enabled financial services.
The 2017 edition of the annual World Export Development Forum (WEDF) kicks off today in Budapest, Hungary under the theme ‘Trade – A Force for Good: Include, Innovate, Integrate’.
