Deputy Head of Mission of the Italian Embassy Dr Alberto Arcidiacono speaking at the forum on
Winning & Retaining Italian Tourists organised by the Sri Lanka-Italy Business Council
Deputy Head of Mission of the Italian Embassy Dr Alberto Arcidiacono delivered the Keynote
Address at the forum organised jointly by the Sri Lanka-Italy Business Council, the Embassy of
Italy and Cinnamon Life recently. Based on the title, ‘Winning & Retaining Italian Tourists’, the
forum was also addressed by the Italian Ambassador Damiano Francovigh, concluding with a
panel discussion. The panelists moderated by Director – Marketing & Development of Jetwing
Hotels Heshan Cooray had the participation of President of SLAITO Nalin Jayasundera, Country
Representative of IATA and Chairman of SLTDA and SLTPB Buddhika Hewawasam and
Founder of the Pekoe Trail Miguel Cunat.
keynote address at the forum on Winning and Retaining Italian Tourists
Following are excerpts of the Keynote Address:
With eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, boasting a higher site-to-square-meter ratio than all
its neighboring countries, Sri Lanka is a true cultural and natural gem, and it is no surprise that
BBC Travel ranked Sri Lanka among the top 10 places to visit in 2025. Tourism, however, is a
complex industry, full of opportunities and slippery slopes.
In 2024, two million tourists came to Sri Lanka bringing revenue of over USD 3 Bn. In this
context, only 39.000 were Italians, making Italy the 14th source market for Sri Lanka tourism.
Just to give you a comparison, in the same year the Maldives received over 144,000 Italian
visitors. Other European countries with similar populations, such as the UK and France, saw
136,000 and 88,000 visitors to Sri Lanka —more than double or triple Italy’s figures. Even the
Netherlands and Poland, countries with significantly smaller populations than Italy, had more
visitors. Clearly, Italian tourism to Sri Lanka is below its potential, and the opportunity for growth
is significant.
I am aware that some issues brought up can only be solved by a concerted government effort.
However, I hope that my humble insights and personal observations can be useful and provide
ideas of how to not only bring more Italian tourists into the country, but also how to keep them
returning year on year in a way that is sustainable and beneficial for the country.
Where do Italian tourists spend their holidays?
In Asia, the biggest destination for Italians is Thailand with almost 300,000 visitors a year. For
us here, this is a good sign, as many of the attractive features of Thailand – beaches, wildlife,
cultural sites, great food (very important to Italians) – are also found in Sri Lanka. If Italians love
Thailand, there’s little doubt that they would love Sri Lanka, too.
Deputy Head of Mission of the Italian Embassy Dr Alberto Arcidiacono looks on
So why are numbers of Italian tourists falling so far behind other European visitors?
One reason could simply be the visibility of the country to Italians. Italians like to feel a sense of
security when travelling and they like to follow in other people’s footsteps – whether it’s family,
friends or simply acquaintances. To get Sri Lanka on Italian tourists’ radar, we need to make it
easy for Italians to travel here. There are currently no direct flights between Italy and Sri Lanka.
A direct flight launched with a marketing campaign, combined perhaps with the lure of a visa
free entry as was done in countries like Thailand, Vietnam or China, would put Sri Lanka on the
list for Italians considering their next holiday destination.
The tourists who visit Sri Lanka
The first group is tourists on a lower budget, for which there is already a thriving market. There
are many positives to well managed low budget and backpacking tourism, particularly relevant
to young Italians in a time when they are facing increased cost of living. Many of these travellers
really enjoy learning about the local culture and are easily accommodated. They are usually
more adventurous, will use the infrastructure of public transportation that is already available,
and might use homestays which can support local and rural communities, bringing value and
employment to areas which may otherwise be overlooked by higher end tourism.
On the other side of the spectrum are the high-end travellers, who look for luxury hotels, high
quality and expect their holidays to be seamless. They pay a premium for this. As you will know,
Sri Lanka has a number of beautiful five star properties, and since recently one of the few seven
star hotels in the world. High end tourists do not use public transportation and usually book their
holidays through trusted tour operators, who provide a good car and driver. If catering to high
end travellers, quality of service is key. From what we have seen of this sector, Sri Lanka is
delivering.
This leaves us with mid to high range tourists. This is a large market which I think is the key
demographic that could be targeted in Italy – people between 40-69 years old who want to
experience some adventure in going somewhere new, whilst maintaining comfort. These
tourists represent 44% of the Italian demographic and are more likely to be happy staying in a
range of properties that Sri Lanka already offers: they might stay in a small boutique hotel, or a
clean and comfortable B&B, and then indulge on a more luxurious property at the end of their
trip. If the infrastructure is reliable they will use public transport, but where this isn’t the case
they will use cars and drivers. Some might book their trip independently rather than through a
tour operator, and will use reviews and booking websites to guide them in their choices. For
them, value for money is important. If they choose to pay a premium cost (for example – using a
car & driver service rather than Uber), they need to see the added value.
Safety is often a priority for tourists. There is space in the market to provide services with a
good standard of vehicles that have functioning seatbelts, and drivers that drive safely. They
want to be able to relax in their car, and trust their driver.
Then there’s adventure tourism, a smaller demographic but not one to be ignored as they will
often bring tourism to lesser known parts of the country. I am delighted to have Mr. Cunat on our
panel, the founder of the Pekoe Trail. This fantastic initiative is becoming more well known in
Europe and was recognized among TIME Magazine’s Greatest Places of 2025. The Pekoe trail
could well be a stand alone reason for Italian adventure tourists to come to Sri Lanka, as is the
case for renowned trails like the Camino, in Spain, or the Via Francigena, in Italy.
Recommendations
An effective way to attract more Italian tourists could be to market Sri Lanka alongside the
Maldives. Only an hour away, Italy consistently ranks among the top 5 source markets for the
Maldives, making it one of the most preferred destinations in the world. A popular itinerary
among other European travellers would be a two week trip encompassing culture, history and
tea hills in Sri Lanka and a restful break in pristine Maldivian beaches. This package is
especially popular with honeymooners but could also be extended to families and adventure-
seekers.
Secondly, leverage your digital channels. Emphasize destination marketing through social
media and influencer collaborations to tap into the trend-driven nature of Italian travel behavior.
Sri Lanka is already benefiting from a strong word-of-mouth effect, but promoting the country
through social media like Instagram or TikTok, and leveraging diplomatic networks or the large
Sri Lankan diaspora in Italy to enhance visibility, could prove highly effective.
Thirdly, bear in mind the strong seasonality of Italian tourism. As the statistics from the Sri
Lanka Development Authority demonstrates, Italian arrivals will peak in December–February
and July–August, aligning with traditional holiday periods, making strategic timing essential for
targeted marketing efforts.
Some considerations
The topic of tourism can often become a contentious issue, and a fear is the possibility of over
tourism. We’ve seen the problems that this can cause in other countries and how it can sour attitudes towards tourists by locals. I have read newspaper reports in Sri Lanka that raise similar
concerns about overtourism, particularly in the south.
Next, a word on National Parks. Sri Lanka boasts a number of parks with impressive wildlife,
yet, social media shows rows of jeeps beeping, drivers shouting, overcrowding of animals and
general chaos that give a very bad impression of the park. Tour operators in Europe even
discourage tourists from visiting certain parks because of these issues. Limiting the number of
jeeps allowed in a park per day may lower daily profit but people might be willing to pay more for
a better experience, and it will ensure that safaris continue being included on an itinerary for
years to come. So why not lean into the growing worldwide market for luxury safaris?
As tourism numbers rise, Sri Lanka must ensure long-term sustainability. I believe the country is
taking steps in the right direction—the redevelopment of Bandaranaike International Airport is a
welcome move that will accommodate growing arrivals while improving visitor experience, whilst
discussions on visa free policy and direct flights from Italy are exciting prospects. With a total
economic exchange exceeding 800 million euros, Italy is already Sri Lanka’s 5th largest
trading partner. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t also rise in the tourism arrival rankings.
Whenever I have spoken to an Italian who has visited Sri Lanka, they always say two things:
‘It’s such a beautiful country’, and ‘The people are so friendly’. I can attest to that, and I look
forward to welcoming more fellow Italians in this very special country.
