“Whilst existing product range has given Sri Lanka 145,543 visitors to Sri Lanka in the 1st Half Year at a growth of 27.3% we want to launch new products so that we keep Sri Lanka Tourism contemporary," said Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau Rohantha Athukorala.

After many meetings with the private sector, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau jointly launched the Ramayana Trail with top 26 operators in the Indian market where 19 key sites across the country from Ramboda, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Galle, Chilaw and Mannar will be showcased to be part of the Ramayana trail.

During the year 2015, Sri Lanka Tourism will conduct 4 road shows in selected markets starting from Bangalore together with the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry representatives in each city so that we create awareness of the new product and then induce the customers to do their booking in.

"The private sector is upbeat of this idea given that the Indian market was getting very competitive and crowded.

"This will see the real impact of peace dividend among the Northern and Eastern provinces which we will bridge the gap between different income groups. It will also link the local community," commented the Market Head for India of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Indrajith De Silva at the launch attended by over hundred travel agents interested in Buddhist Tourism.

Since the Ramayana Trail connects two cultures of Sri Lanka and India, it makes the new product unique and historical. The overall market size for this new product in India is worth a hundred million plus core customers.

Arrival from India is estimated to touch 20,000 in the 1st year and then exponentially grow when traction is achieved. It's very important to ensure that the special dietary details are looked into and this has been part of the new product development that we have been involved in “said a senior participant from the private sector.

The Ramayana Trail goes back to the Sanskrit epic which is closely linked to Hinduism.