Buddhist tourism push underpins Sri Lanka’s South Korea strategy

Sri Lanka is stepping up efforts to attract more visitors from South Korea, with the tourism officials betting that improved air connectivity, visa-free access and growing interest in Buddhist pilgrimage travel could help expand arrivals from one of Asia’s high-spending outbound markets.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) said a tourism roadshow held in Seoul earlier this month brought together more than 200 travel trade representatives, airline partners, media personnel and religious leaders from Sri Lanka and South Korea, generating fresh business opportunities for the local tourism industry.

Twenty-five Sri Lankan tourism companies participated in business-to-business meetings with Korean travel agencies, tour operators and online travel platforms aimed at increasing destination awareness and developing new travel partnerships.

The push comes as Sri Lanka seeks to diversify its visitor base and strengthen arrivals from East Asia, a market that the industry stakeholders say offers significant potential for higher-value tourism segments including wellness, culture and pilgrimage travel.

SLTPB Managing Director Sanjaya Niroshana told the participants that Sri Lanka was promoting a broad range of tourism products, including heritage attractions, wildlife experiences, ayurveda retreats and Buddhist pilgrimage circuits. He said visa-free entry for the South Korean nationals, combined with direct SriLankan Airlines services between Incheon and Colombo, had improved the destination’s accessibility and competitiveness.

The tourism officials expect the measures to support stronger visitor flows from South Korea and deepen tourism exchanges between the two countries.

The senior representatives of Korea’s Jogye Order of Buddhism took part in the event, highlighting Sri Lanka’s efforts to position itself as a leading destination for Buddhist pilgrimage tourism. The officials said that stronger religious and cultural links could open a niche but potentially lucrative visitor segment centred on the island’s sacred Buddhist sites.

The roadshow also highlighted the wider economic benefits of tourism promotion campaigns, which can support hotel occupancy, airline traffic, transport services and spending across local businesses, while helping Sri Lanka broaden its tourism source markets amid the growing regional competition.

Five Korean travel agencies were recognised during the event for their contribution to promoting Sri Lanka and generating tourist arrivals, reflecting the importance of trade partnerships in sustaining long-term growth from the market.