
China, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives have launched a game-changing tourism alliance aiming to boost regional travel, cultural exchange, and economic growth under the new Maritime Silk Road initiative.
In a bold move to redefine regional tourism, China, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives have joined hands in a groundbreaking cooperation agreement that could transform Asia’s tourism landscape. At a high-level tourism forum held in Colombo, leaders, diplomats, and tourism experts from all three nations emphasized collaboration as the key to unlocking a new era of prosperity and cultural connectivity.
President Xi Jinping’s message echoed through the forum, underlining that tourism is more than leisure it is a vital tool for cultural exchange, friendship, and global understanding.
The historical connection between the three nations stretches back over a thousand years. During the era of the Maritime Silk Road, Chinese merchant ships regularly docked at Sri Lankan ports, while Maldivian pearls adorned the courts of ancient Chinese dynasties. This cultural and economic linkage forms the bedrock of today’s trilateral tourism revival.
In 2024 alone, 260,000 Chinese tourists visited the Maldives, making China its largest tourism source. Sri Lanka welcomed over 130,000 Chinese travelers, placing China as its fifth-largest market. As tourism rebounds, both island nations are experiencing an influx of Chinese travelers drawn to their pristine beaches, historical cities, and wildlife wonders.
Each nation brings unique assets to the partnership. China boasts 5,000 years of civilization, the Great Wall, and the beauty of Jiuzhaigou. Sri Lanka offers the Sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic, the ancient city of Sigiriya, and the majestic leopards of Yala. The Maldives dazzles with azure seas, white sands, coral reefs, and underwater villas.
This alliance aims to enhance complementary strengths, not just pool resources. For Sri Lanka and the Maldives, tourism is a primary economic driver. For China, it presents a chance to deepen Belt and Road ties and offer Chinese travelers curated multi-destination experiences.
This trilateral pact is more than a symbolic gesture it’s backed by a strategic roadmap. First, the nations aim to build a Regional Tourism Circle by promoting more direct flights and introducing “multi-stop” tourism packages across all three countries. Second, they seek to create a Quality Tourism Chain by harmonizing safety and sustainability standards, developing luxury eco-resorts, cultural discovery tours, and offering tax refund benefits to tourists. Third, a Cultural Tourism Map is to be launched, hosting joint festivals and exhibitions, training multilingual tour guides, and initiating youth exchange programs between the countries.
With an ambitious target to bring in 3 million Chinese tourists to Sri Lanka by 2025, this partnership aims to elevate the region as a unified, must-visit destination. The Maldives is also expected to attract a surge in visitors seeking luxury, nature, and serenity capturing the essence of “one island, one world.” Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage is poised to shine globally as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean.”
As one official poetically put it, “With a favorable wind, a single sail hangs poised.” The time is now. The China–Sri Lanka–Maldives tourism pact is more than a diplomatic handshake it’s the beginning of a shared future built on travel, understanding, and unity.