Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) , in collaboration with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Netherlands, participated at the “Embassy Festival 2024” on 7^th September 2024 in Hague, the Netherlands. The Embassy organized two stalls showcasing Sri Lanka tourism, culture, cuisine, tea and handicrafts to the Dutch and other international visitors. This was an excellent opportunity to promote Sri Lanka’s potential as a travel destination to the European continent, in order to encourage more enthusiastic travelers from the region.

The “Embassy Festival” is an annual event organized by the Municipality of Hague in a central location in the city. The Mayor of Hague, Jan Van Zanen opened the Festival where 46 Embassies and international organizations participated attracting over 60,000 visitors.

The Sri Lankan stalls were very popular at the Festival, with many expressing interest to visit the country. Tourism promotional material, including videos, brochures and maps of Sri Lanka were shared with the public. People who had already visited Sri Lanka, also visited the stalls and shared their warm and fond memories of their travels in the country.

Sri Lankan arts and craft; wooden masks; soft toys; jewelry; batik, reed and brassware products available in the stalls were much sought after with Sri Lankan tea and food being the centre of attraction. The visitors were treated to a wide variety of authentic Sri Lankan cuisine including yellow rice and curry, string hoppers, egg hoppers, kottu, kokis, jackfruit cutlets, vadai and many more. Children from the Sri Lankan community in The Netherlands mesmerized the crowds with their Sri Lankan dance performance and added color and excitement, with their traditional costumes to the event. The Embassy also participated in the cultural parade alongside the other Embassies and the colorful procession was enjoyed and warmly appreciated by the public.

Ambassador Rekha Gunasekera appreciated the dedication of her team at the Embassy for their tireless efforts in preparation for the event and also the members of the Sri Lankan community who participated, supported and assisted the Embassy in making the event a success.