LANDMARKS OF LANKA TOURISM

(From the book SOARING SPIRITS AND SHOOTING STARS)

Circa 300 BC

Lanka was the earliest name by which this island was known and was thus referred to in the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana. Alexander the Great's Admiral of the Macedonian Fleet, Onesicritus and Megasthenes, the Greek Ambassador to Maurya Court of India wrote of Taprobane, the name by which Sri Lanka was known to the Greeks and derived from 'Thambapanni' the name given to the island by early colonizers.

It was also the name used by Ptolemy, the Egyptian cartographer who produced the first map of the island. Anuradhapura, the ancient capital of Sri Lanka had designated a Western section of the city of Greek settlers, known to the Sinhalese as 'yona' derived from the Persian 'Iona'. A delegation of 'yona' priests attended the crowning of great stupa of King Dutugemunu (161 - 131 BC).

Circa 50 AD

Roman historian Pliny the Elder writing of the beauty of Taprobane in the 6th book of his 37 volume Natural History mentions that the elephants of Taprobane were bigger and better for warfare than those of India. In 45 AD, a Roman vessel sailing the Indian Ocean was seized by the King of Lanka and brought to the port of Hippuros, now Kudiramalai.

The ship's captain Annius Plocamus quickly learnt Sinhala and in conversations with the king dispatched an embassy of 4 envoys to the court of Augustus Caesar, headed by Ambassador Rachius. This resulted in the establishment of diplomatic relations and enhanced trade between Rome and Sri Lanka.

410 AD

"A Record of Buddhist Kingdoms" by Chinese scholar Fa-Xian records his travels in Sri Lanka, during a two-year internship at the Mahavihara monastic academy in Anuradhpura. He wrote that "this country is an oasis; prosperous and happy; its people are well to do...." and that the Mahavihara had 5,000 resident scholars who prayed before a colossal 20-cubit high Buddha statue carved of green jade, embellished with gems and pearls.

470 AD

Historically authenticated evidence of flourishing domestic tourism, found in graffiti on Mirror Wall at Sigiriya, in sight of the frescoes, where visitors scrawled poetry in adulation of the "heavenly maidens", they had come "a long way to see".

1290

Serendib, as Sri Lanka was then known to Arab traders, becomes an important destination on the 'silk road on the sea'.

1293

Marco Polo arrives in a naval convoy escorting a princess of the court of Kublai Khan to marry the Khan of Persia. He describes Sri Lanka as "the best island" in the world.

1344

Moroccan scholar Ibn Battuta arrives on pilgrimage to Adam's Peak. he records meeting the King who "rides a white elephant adorned with rubies, size of hen's eggs" and citizens wearing "brilliant red rubies".

1350

Giovanni de Marignolli, Papal envoy to court of 'Great Khan of Cathay' is detained in Berberyn or Beruwala. He wrote that the island is so close to paradise the "sound of waters falling from fountain of paradise is heard there."

1405

Chinese navigator and diplomat Admiral Zheng He, arrives in what is today's China-bay in Trincomalee.

1505

The first Western Conquistadors, arrival of the Portuguese, island was renamed to Ceilao. Jesuit Fr. Queyroz records their 'Temporal and Spiritual Conquest' of the maritime provinces.

1640

King of Kandy invites the Dutch to oust the Portuguese from maritime provinces. They stay to rule and rename the island Ceilan giving rise to the adage, "like exchanging ginger for pepper."

1660

British sea captain Robert Knox is held prisoner of King of Kandy for 16 years after his ship is impounded in Trincomalee. He writes first Western account of Sri Lanka.

1796

British take Dutch possessions in maritime Ceilan, under Treaty of Amiens ending Napoleonic wars in Europe.

1815

Kandyan chiefs cede Sri Lanka to British Crown, under the Kandyan Convention, thus ending 2500 years' lineage of Sri Lanka Monarchy. British renamed Island, Ceylon.

1834

Ceylon Observer, oldest English language newspaper in Asia launched boosting publicity for island's beauty.

1864

Galle Face Hotel, the oldest hotel east of Suez opens in Colombo,

1896

Mark Twain arrives, exclaims "dear me, it is beautiful.... a dream of fairyland and paradise.". Writer's glowing account is in the book; 'Following the Equator."

1937

Government Tourist Bureau set up to serve cruise pax on shore excursions.

1945

World War II ends.

1946

P.A. Ediriweera starts country's first Travel Agency, ' Ceylon Tours Ltd., with Justin Kotelawala, D.B. Dhanapala and Rosalind Koch as Directors.

1946

The island's first overseas tourism promotion held in New York at the Waldorf Astoria by Ediriweera and Kotelawala. First Ceylon tourist promotions advertisements were published in The New York Times.

1947

Air Ceylon, the national flag carrier begins operations.

1948

Ceylon gains political independence from Britain.

1952

Pacific Area Travel Association (PATA) is incorporated in Hawaii for development of travel industries as engines of growth of war battered economies of Asia and Pacific.

1954

PATA introduces Ediriweera to United Artistes, Horizon Pictures and Universal Studios and jointly conduct first promotion to induce movie production in Ceylon.

1954

Hollywood movie, 'Elephant Walk' with ELizabeth Taylor was filmed in Ceylon.

1955

Ceylon Tours is first PATA member in Ceylon followed by Ceylon Express, GFH and Quickshaws.

1957

'Bridge of the River Kwai' with Alec Guiness and William Holden, filmed in Ceylon. The film has also been awarded 7 Academy Awards (including Best Picture).

1961

PATA releases Checchi Report urging formation of National Tourism Offices for planned development and promotion of tourism.

1965

First international tourism organization to set up office in Ceylon, the Pacific Area Travel Association establishes PATA Ceylon Chapter - second in Asia after Hong Kong and first in South Asia.

1965

Ceylon Tourist Hotels Association is inaugurated.

1966

Ceylon Tourist Board and Ceylon Hotels Corporation are established, on blueprint recommended PATA Checchi Report for planned development / promotion of tourism.

1967

Ceylon's first ten-year Tourism Master Plan is launched.

1970

Ceylon's first planned holiday resort opened in Bentota on architecture plans by PATA Life Member, Pete Wimberley, PATA holds first meeting in Bentota; a Board Meeting.

1970

Age of Mass Tourism dawns with introduction of Jet engines on commercial aviation by Pan American World Airways. Charter loads of European tourists arrive in Ceylon.

1970

The World Tourism Organization is formed.

1972

Ceylon reverts to its original name, Sri Lanka.

1972

Helitours, by Sri Lanka Air Force begins air-tours.

1973

BMICH, first purpose-built international convention center in South Asia, opens in Colombo.

1974

Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka (TAASL) formed.

1984

Sri Lanka hosts its first PATA Annual Conference on themes: 'Heritage & Environment Conservation' and Culture without Exploitation - first conference in the world to focus on symbiotic relationship between tourism and conservation. 1,200 delegates launched PATA Gold Awards, PATA Foundation and inaugurated annual PATA Chapter Day.

1992

Lakshman Ratnapala, is inducted PATA President & CEO, becoming the only Sri Lankan in history to lead a global travel industry organization, as chief executive, and the only Asian chief executive in 65 year history of PATA.

1996

Sri Lanka National Cricket Team wins the Wills World Cup boosting the country's tourism promotion.

1999

Sri Lankan Airlines is launched.

2004

On Boxing Day, Tsunami devastates Island's coastal belt with tourist resorts, but the country quickly recovers.

2009

Long national nightmare of 30-year war on separatist Tamil terrorism (LTTE) ends, in victory for government forces. The peace dividend heralds a resurgence in tourism.

2010

Hiran Cooray of Jetwing Hotels elected PATA Chairman for a 2-year term.

2011

Visit Sri Lanka year.

2012

Sri Lanka welcomes one millionth tourist during the year.

2015

National earning from tourism reaches USD 3 billion.

2016

Sri Lanka Tourist Board celebrates 50th anniversary and for Ceylon Tours, it is the 70th anniversary of founding.

2016

Sri Lanka welcomes two million tourists and earns USD 3.5 billion.

2017

PATA Annual Summit held in Negombo, Sri Lanka.

2018

Sri Lanka faced a political and constitutional crisis, where tourism got negatively impacted to some extent.

2019

Easter attack was a series of suicide bombings carried out by Islamic terrorists in Sri Lanka on the 21st of April 2019 - Easter Sunday. It was one of the terrific milestones in the history of Sri Lanka. The attack impacted the lives of many Sri Lankans and foreigners. Also affected the tourism sector immensely, but Sri Lanka rose faster than expected.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance was founded in 2019 by a group of private sector tourism industry leaders that came together to launch 'Love Sri Lanka'.

2020

And in the wake of COVID-19, as tourism was hit once again, the Tourism Alliance has provided a community and a sort of union for those who’ve needed help in this time.

2022 - 2023

As the tourism industry in Sri Lanka is getting back on its feet, the unity formed in the adversity of the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings in 2019, and indeed that of COVID-19, and then the worst economic crisis in history soon after; Sri Lanka has managed impressively, hence recovery may be not so far out of reach, the island nation is heading at the right direction.

Other References:

Soaring Spirits and Shooting Stars by Lakshman Ratnapala

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau (SLTPB)

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA)

Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance

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"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sale away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

- Mark Twain -