SriLankan Airlines has launched a marketing drive in Italy to promote the twin destinations of Sri Lanka and the Maldives among Italian tourists, following the airline’s recent re-launch of flights to the southern European nation. 

In a press release, the national carrier said it actively participated in the BIT Travel Mart in Milan last month, one of the world’s largest travel fairs, which drew 153,000 visitors and 5,000 exhibitors from 140 nations. 
The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau and members of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) also participated in the event from February 19-22. It was the first time that SriLankan took part in this fair since 2001, underlining the airline’s determined efforts to capitalise on the Italian leisure travel market. Italy is one of the largest origins of tourism into the Maldives. SriLankan offers fast connections via Colombo to the Maldives, where it is the largest carrier.