Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra met with Dr. Serdar Çam, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye, in Ankara on October 30, during his official visit to Türkiye.
The discussions focused on promoting Sri Lanka as a tourist destination among Turkish travellers, strengthening bilateral tourism ties and exploring opportunities for cultural exchanges and the development of the tourism sector.
Particular attention was given to Türkiye’s expertise in archaeological heritage preservation, cultural tourism and high-value tourism development. Türkiye’s experience in integrating historical and archaeological sites into tourism offerings was identified as a valuable source of knowledge for Sri Lanka in further developing its heritage-based tourism sector.
Both sides also explored opportunities for knowledge sharing, institutional collaboration and strengthening people-to-people connections.
Sri Lanka’s rich cultural heritage and untapped tourism potential offer opportunities to diversify the country’s tourism industry. Enhanced cooperation and the exchange of expertise between the two countries are expected to support the development of a more sustainable, high-value tourism sector, generating wider benefits for the people and the economy.
