The trail will target the South East Asia segment but promotional efforts will also extend to Europe, US, and Australia, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) Chairman Chalaka Gajabahu said this week.

“Sri Lanka, as a Buddhist country, holds immense potential to establish a unique tourism brand that resonates globally,” he said.

“With rich heritage, breath-taking landscapes and profound spiritual significance, Sri Lanka can emerge as a leading destination for Buddhist pilgrimages and cultural exploration on the global tourism map,” Gajabahu added.

When compared to the Ramayana trail, he opined that the proposed Buddhist Trail can gain more traction from a broader section of travellers from South East Asian countries to East Asian countries such as China to European countries.

In 2019, the SLTPB introduced a ‘Buddhist Tourism Trail’, a promotional website aiming to attract travellers from Theravada Buddhism countries right before the Covid-19 pandemic.

DM