On June 16, China-Sri Lanka-Maldives Tourism Forum grandly opened in Colombo. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Amarasuriya, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Hemachandra, Maldives Tourism and Environment Policy Director Waheed, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong, Deputy Director General of International Exchange and Cooperation Bureau of Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China Shi Zeyi, Minister Counselor of Chinese Embassy in Maldives He Fen,along with more than 120 representatives fromthe governments, tourism industry and mediaof the three countries attended the event.
Amarasuriya said that Sri Lanka sincerely extends gratitude to China for its long-term valuable support spanning infrastructure, humanitarian initiatives, education, cultural exchanges, and Belt and Road cooperation. Sri Lanka attaches high priority to strengthening regional tourism cooperation with China and other neighboring nations. We are confident that this forum will further advance China-Sri Lanka-Maldives tourism collaboration while injecting new momentum into the sustainable development of the three countries' tourism industries. It is our hope that this forum will deepen regional mutual trust, transform vision into dialogue, dialogue into action, and further strengthen the people-to-people bonds among China, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
Qi Zhenhong said that President Xi Jinping had pointed out that tourism serves as a bridge forspreading civilizations, exchanging cultures, and enhancing friendship, and is an important channel for exchanges and mutual learning among different countries and cultures. The friendship between China, Sri Lanka and Maldives has lasted for thousands of years, as timeless as the blue waves of the Indian Ocean. Tourism cooperation among the three countries is not merely additive but a sublimation of complementary advantages. This forum marks a milestone in trilateral tourism cooperation.We aim to seize this opportunity to:Jointly build a seamless tourism network, jointly shape a high-quality tourism value chain,jointly paint a vibrant tapestry of cultural tourism,thereby fostering consensus, promoting collaboration, pioneering a new model for Sino-Sri Lanka-Maldive tourism cooperation, and contributing to building a China-Sri Lanka-Maldive Community with a Shared Future.
Waheed said that tourism is an important part of cultural exchanges, which enhances dialogue between different countries and fosters understanding and appreciation of each other's cultures and traditions. China, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives all possess unique cultural and tourism resources, making tourism a valuable window for gaining an in-depth understanding of diverse cultures. Tourism is vital for the economies of the Maldives and Sri Lanka, and China is an important partner to both countries. The Maldives is willing to work with China and Sri Lanka to jointly promote the development and prosperity of the tourism industry across the three countries.
The theme of the forum is "Silk Road Integration for Win-Win Cooperation". Experts from the tourism field of the three countries were invited to hold a dialogue on topics such as "Prospects for Tourism Cooperation among China, Sri Lanka, and Maldives". During the forum, the International Tourism Alliance of Silk Road Cities released a joint action to promote tourism exchanges and cooperation among China, Sri Lanka and Maldives, and building a new platform for cooperation between the tourism industry of China, Sri Lanka and Maldives. The forum's series of activities also includes a travel B2B meeting. Moreover, from June 18 to 23, more than 30 Chinese travelagencies and media representatives will participated in theFAMtrip in Sri Lanka.
The forum was co-organized by Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, Chinese Embassy in Maldives, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka, and Ministry of Tourism and Environment of Maldives. CCTV, Xinhua News Agency, Phoenix TV, Legal Daily and other Chinese media, SLRC, Ceylon Today, Sri Lanka Guardian, Daily FT, The Island, and over 10 other Sri Lankan English, Sinhala and Tamil media have widely reported on the event.