www.world-tourism.org Sri Lanka began its first ever flights from Colombo to Beijing in hopes of attracting more tourists from China-predicted by the World Tourism Organization to become the world's leading outbound market over the next some years.

The flights on Sri Lankan Airlines operate three times a week on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from Colombo to Beijing via Bangkok. Sri Lanka's top tourism officials launched the new service and announced a new drive to attract Chinese tourists at the Tourism International Expo 2005 in Beijing.

"Tourism from China to Sri Lanka has been increasing steadily since we were granted approved destination status in 2003," said Sri Lanka Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike. "We have been taking several measures to make Chinese tour operators more familiar with our local hot spots, as well as our cultural, religious, and wildlife attractions."

The minister was accompanied at the inauguration by Tourism Ministry Secretary Dr. P. Ramanujam and Sri Lanka Tourism Board Chairman Udaya Nanayakkara.

The Chinese market to Sri Lanka is booming. Tourist arrivals grew by 25% in 2004 and have apparently recovered from a post-tsunami downturn, registering 134% growth in May compared to the same month last year. With the new flights, even more spectacular growth is predicted for the second half of 2005. The Tourist Board aims to attract 30,000 Chinese tourists by 2007.

The new air links are expected to be expanded shortly to include service to Shanghai and Guangzhou and the Sri Lankan government is opening a consulate in Shanghai which will house new offices of the Sri Lanka Tourism Board, Sri Lankan Airlines and the Board of Investment.

A long history of friendship and cooperation exists between Sri Lanka and China and the two countries share a common Buddhist heritage. In addition to enjoying Sri Lanka's tropical beaches, Chinese tourists are attracted to the country's temples and religious monuments-which are some of the most holy in the Buddhist world. More than 30 Chinese-speaking tourist guides have been trained by the Tourist Board to work with the new visitors.

In March, celebrity Chinese film director Xu Jinglei was named "Honorary Goodwill Tourism Ambassador" by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board while she was in the country to help raise money for children affected by the tsunami. The Chinese film maker also toured some of Sri Lanka's most famous sites, including the Elephant Orphanage, the tea plantations, the temple housing Buddha's tooth relic in Kandy, the vibrant frescos of the rock fortress at Sigiriya and the beaches of Beruwela.