We would have done better – received more tourists from Bangladesh – had the airfare of SriLankan Airlines been lower.

The flight timing also needs to be adjusted. The whole day is spilt, Shereen Ismail said.

During MihinLanka days it was better, she said about the tourist numbers, despite that the numbers are picking up now. There has been over 18 per cent growth last year over the previous year.

Everyone has to come to us through the travel agencies as transfer of payments remains a problem.

Bangladeshis simply love our beaches. Some combine Maldives with Sri Lanka. Maldivian airfare is a bit lower, Shereen Ismail added.

Besides ticketing and outbound services, Aitken Spence Travel’s services cover MICE related events, excursions, sports tours nature and adventure tours, wellness tours and cruise handling.

Manjitha Mohan, Manager, Jetwing Travels, another famous Sri Lankan travel agency and a concern of a big corporate group of the same name, was in DTM-2018 too.

Mohan said, Jetwing has 33 properties strewn across Sri Lanka – ranging from three-star to five-star as well as villas. In capital city Colombo, Jetwing has a 100-room brand new property.

About destinations and attractions on the country’s eastern seacoast, Mohan said, Trincomalee still takes seven hours by road. You have to take a halt in between Colombo and Trincomalee, he addd.

Alongside Jetwing Travels, Jetwing Hotels, it’s other concerns include Jetwing Outbound, Jetwing Eco Holidays, Jetwing Adventures, Jetwing Holidays, Jetwing Events, Jetwing Air, Jet Leisure Maldives and Sri Lanka Tailor-Made.

Aitken Travels is strong in Europe and Asia – particularly in India, China and the Far East, while Jetwing Travels in China and India.

Both took part in DTM-2018 under the banner of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) along with five other co-exhibitors, Royal Holidays, Bernard Tours (Pvt) Ltd, NKAR Travels & Tours, Apple Holidays and Hamoos Travels (Pvt) Ltd. Besides, Sri Lankan Airlines also actively took part in it.