Deputy Head of Mission of the Italian Embassy Dr Alberto Arcidiacono speaking at the forum on Winning & Retaining Italian Tourists organised by the Sri Lanka-Italy Business Council

Deputy Head of Mission of the Italian Embassy Dr Alberto Arcidiacono delivered the Keynote Address at the forum organised jointly by the Sri Lanka-Italy Business Council, the Embassy of Italy and Cinnamon Life recently. Based on the title, ‘Winning & Retaining Italian Tourists’, the forum was also addressed by the Italian Ambassador Damiano Francovigh, concluding with a panel discussion. The panelists moderated by Director – Marketing & Development of Jetwing Hotels Heshan Cooray had the participation of President of SLAITO Nalin Jayasundera, Country Representative of IATA and Chairman of SLTDA and SLTPB Buddhika Hewawasam and Founder of the Pekoe Trail Miguel Cunat.

Following are excerpts of the Keynote Address:

With eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, boasting a higher site-to-square-meter ratio than all its neighboring countries, Sri Lanka is a true cultural and natural gem, and it is no surprise that BBC Travel ranked Sri Lanka among the top 10 places to visit in 2025. Tourism, however, is a complex industry, full of opportunities and slippery slopes.

In 2024, two million tourists came to Sri Lanka bringing revenue of over USD 3 Bn. In this context, only 39.000 were Italians, making Italy the 14th source market for Sri Lanka tourism. Just to give you a comparison, in the same year the Maldives received over 144,000 Italian visitors. Other European countries with similar populations, such as the UK and France, saw 136,000 and 88,000 visitors to Sri Lanka —more than double or triple Italy’s figures. Even the Netherlands and Poland, countries with significantly smaller populations than Italy, had more visitors. Clearly, Italian tourism to Sri Lanka is below its potential, and the opportunity for growth is significant.

I am aware that some issues brought up can only be solved by a concerted government effort. However, I hope that my humble insights and personal observations can be useful and provide ideas of how to not only bring more Italian tourists into the country, but also how to keep them returning year on year in a way that is sustainable and beneficial for the country.

Where do Italian tourists spend their holidays?  

In Asia, the biggest destination for Italians is Thailand with almost 300,000 visitors a year. For us here, this is a good sign, as many of the attractive features of Thailand - beaches, wildlife, cultural sites, great food (very important to Italians) - are also found in Sri Lanka. If Italians love Thailand, there’s little doubt that they would love Sri Lanka, too.

So why are numbers of Italian tourists falling so far behind other European visitors?

One reason could simply be the visibility of the country to Italians. Italians like to feel a sense of security when travelling and they like to follow in other people’s footsteps - whether it’s family, friends or simply acquaintances. To get Sri Lanka on Italian tourists’ radar, we need to make it easy for Italians to travel here. There are currently no direct flights between Italy and Sri Lanka. A direct flight launched with a marketing campaign, combined perhaps with the lure of a visa free entry as was done in countries like Thailand, Vietnam or China, would put Sri Lanka on the list for Italians considering their next holiday destination.

The tourists who visit Sri Lanka

The first group is tourists on a lower budget, for which there is already a thriving market. There are many positives to well managed low budget and backpacking tourism, particularly relevant to young Italians in a time when they are facing increased cost of living. Many of these travellers really enjoy learning about the local culture and are easily accommodated. They are usually more adventurous, will use the infrastructure of public transportation that is already available, and might use homestays which can support local and rural communities, bringing value and employment to areas which may otherwise be overlooked by higher end tourism.

On the other side of the spectrum are the high-end travellers, who look for luxury hotels, high quality and expect their holidays to be seamless. They pay a premium for this. As you will know, Sri Lanka has a number of beautiful five star properties, and since recently one of the few seven star hotels in the world. High end tourists do not use public transportation and usually book their holidays through trusted tour operators, who provide a good car and driver. If catering to high end travellers, quality of service is key. From what we have seen of this sector, Sri Lanka is delivering.

This leaves us with mid to high range tourists. This is a large market which I think is the key demographic that could be targeted in Italy - people between 40-69 years old who want to experience some adventure in going somewhere new, whilst maintaining comfort. These tourists represent 44% of the Italian demographic and are more likely to be happy staying in a range of properties that Sri Lanka already offers: they might stay in a small boutique hotel, or a clean and comfortable B&B, and then indulge on a more luxurious property at the end of their trip. If the infrastructure is reliable they will use public transport, but where this isn’t the case they will use cars and drivers. Some might book their trip independently rather than through a tour operator, and will use reviews and booking websites to guide them in their choices. For them, value for money is important. If they choose to pay a premium cost (for example - using a car & driver service rather than Uber), they need to see the added value.

Safety is often a priority for tourists. There is space in the market to provide services with a good standard of vehicles that have functioning seatbelts, and drivers that drive safely. They want to be able to relax in their car, and trust their driver.

Then there’s adventure tourism, a smaller demographic but not one to be ignored as they will often bring tourism to lesser known parts of the country. I am delighted to have Mr. Cunat on our panel, the founder of the Pekoe Trail. This fantastic initiative is becoming more well known in Europe and was recognized among TIME Magazine’s Greatest Places of 2025. The Pekoe trail could well be a stand alone reason for Italian adventure tourists to come to Sri Lanka, as is the case for renowned trails like the Camino, in Spain, or the Via Francigena, in Italy.

Recommendations

An effective way to attract more Italian tourists could be to market Sri Lanka alongside the Maldives. Only an hour away, Italy consistently ranks among the top 5 source markets for the Maldives, making it one of the most preferred destinations in the world. A popular itinerary among other European travellers would be a two week trip encompassing culture, history and tea hills in Sri Lanka and a restful break in pristine Maldivian beaches. This package is especially popular with honeymooners but could also be extended to families and adventure-seekers.

Secondly, leverage your digital channels. Emphasize destination marketing through social media and influencer collaborations to tap into the trend-driven nature of Italian travel behavior. Sri Lanka is already benefiting from a strong word-of-mouth effect, but promoting the country through social media like Instagram or TikTok, and leveraging diplomatic networks or the large Sri Lankan diaspora in Italy to enhance visibility, could prove highly effective.

Thirdly, bear in mind the strong seasonality of Italian tourism. As the statistics from the Sri Lanka Development Authority demonstrates, Italian arrivals will peak in December–February and July–August, aligning with traditional holiday periods, making strategic timing essential for targeted marketing efforts.

Some considerations

The topic of tourism can often become a contentious issue, and a fear is the possibility of over tourism. We’ve seen the problems that this can cause in other countries and how it can sour attitudes towards tourists by locals. I have read newspaper reports in Sri Lanka that raise similar concerns about overtourism, particularly in the south.

Next, a word on National Parks. Sri Lanka boasts a number of parks with impressive wildlife, yet, social media shows rows of jeeps beeping, drivers shouting, overcrowding of animals and general chaos that give a very bad impression of the park. Tour operators in Europe even discourage tourists from visiting certain parks because of these issues. Limiting the number of jeeps allowed in a park per day may lower daily profit but people might be willing to pay more for a better experience, and it will ensure that safaris continue being included on an itinerary for years to come. So why not lean into the growing worldwide market for luxury safaris?

As tourism numbers rise, Sri Lanka must ensure long-term sustainability. I believe the country is taking steps in the right direction—the redevelopment of Bandaranaike International Airport is a welcome move that will accommodate growing arrivals while improving visitor experience, whilst discussions on visa free policy and direct flights from Italy are exciting prospects. With a total economic exchange exceeding 800 million euros, Italy is already Sri Lanka’s 5th largest trading partner. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t also rise in the tourism arrival rankings.

Whenever I have spoken to an Italian who has visited Sri Lanka, they always say two things: ‘It’s such a beautiful country’, and ‘The people are so friendly’. I can attest to that, and I look forward to welcoming more fellow Italians in this very special country.

Italian Ambassador Damiano Francovigh addresses the participants at the forum

Country Representative IATA Buddhika Hewawasam answers a question during the Q&A as Deputy Head of Mission of the Italian Embassy Dr Alberto Arcidiacono looks on

Founder of Pekoe Trail Miguel Cunat speaks at the forum

President of SLAITO Nalin Jayasundera replies to a question during the forum