It’s a 90-minute flight from Bengaluru to Colombo. It is the case in most of the southern Indian states. In some instances, air travel between the two nations can be as short as 75 minutes, such as from Madurai to Colombo. Even from some of the cities in India’s east or northern part, the air travel time to Sri Lanka is around 4 hours, in some cases 3 hours. Just like you’re going from district to district in India by car.
This close proximity to the island nation gives the large Indian population, especially the higher-net-worth, upper-middle-class, and middle-class Indians, an opportunity to explore the island nation. Last year, close to 450,000 Indian tourists visited Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is becoming a popular destination among Indians.
What are the key reasons for this trend?
1) Close proximity
2) Short Traveling Time
3) Value for Indian Currency (One Indian rupee will fetch around 3.5 LK rupees in Sri Lanka.)
4) Affordable ‘shopping options’ in Sri Lanka, especially in the capital, Colombo, and suburbs
5) They can visit many places (diverse attractions) within a very short time owing to Sri Lanka’s smaller size.
6) Quick Visa Access
7) Sri Lanka’s friendly people and hospitality
8) India’s closest ‘neighbor’
9) Shopping, travel, and business within a short time frame and in a close location
10) High Level of Air Connectivity
The above and more reasons make Sri Lanka a ‘hotspot’ for Indian tourists. The ‘trend’ is on the rise and only going to grow further.