Aitken Spence : Travels Welcomes First Bulgarian Charter Flight for Winter 2023/24 Season

Aitken Spence Travels, Sri Lanka's premier destination management company, proudly celebrated the arrival of the first Bulgarian charter flight for the Winter 2023/24 season at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) on the 27th of December 2023. Operated by 'Bulgaria Air,' the flight brought over 200 enthusiastic holidaymakers eager to explore the wonders of Sri Lanka.

Throughout their stay, the visitors will embark on round tours, immersing themselves in the rich culture and breathtaking landscapes that Sri Lanka has to offer. The itinerary includes visits to Kandy city, the cultural triangle, Pinnawela, the hill country, and concludes with guests enjoying the golden sandy beaches of the southern coast. Guest accommodation range from luxurious 4 and 5 star properties to charming boutique establishments on the southern belt.

Aitken Spence Travels established a strategic partnership with one of Bulgaria's leading tour operators to ensure the successful execution of this charter operation. The collaboration involved extensive efforts, including sales calls, and comprehensive education initiatives for tour operators, aimed at promoting destination Sri Lanka as an exotic diversified holiday location. The confidence gained from a previous charter operated earlier in the year reinforced the commitment of all parties involved.

Expressing confidence in Aitken Spence Travels, the Bulgarian tour operator remarked, "We witnessed the seamless handling of the first charter in March 2023, and we were eager to enhance our promotion of Sri Lanka. We are certain that our guests will experience the beauty of your country, and we trust that everything will be expertly managed. We wish to thank Aitken Spence Travels for conducting the sales calls and educational sessions to educate our agents and the market on your beautiful island."

Commenting on this significant flight arrival to MRIA, Jt. Deputy Chairperson and Jt. Deputy Managing Director of Aitken Spence and Head of Tourism & Leisure for the Group, Stasshani Jayawardena said, "We are delighted to tap into this emerging source markets and be able to operate charters to grow visitor numbers. This shows our partner's confidence in our quality of service and the destination to commit towards this charter operation commencing in December".

Aitken Spence Travels, Managing Director, Nalin Jayasundera commented, "Bulgaria is not a traditional source market for Sri Lanka and have generated around 1400 tourist in total (November SLTDA report). It is good to have visitors from an emerging market enjoying the diversity of Sri Lanka. According to the SLTDA November 2023 report 32% of tourists that arrived in Sri Lanka journeyed thorough a transit airport. However, if the number of direct flights or charter flights grow visitors can reach the destination with ease and have pleasant memories. This emphasises the crucial significance of air transportation and connectivity facilitating tourism numbers to the country. Air connectivity plays a significant role in catering to a substantial portion of visitor arrivals and charter flights helps builds visitor confidence to the country".

With a legacy of over forty-five years in inbound tourism, Aitken Spence Travels remains committed to expanding its reach and winning the trust of agents in new territories. The company will continue to focus on agent education and promotions, creating the desired visibility to attract tourist to Sri Lanka.

As the leading destination management company, Aitken Spence Travels will continue to spearhead marketing strategies to grow agent confidence resulting in bringing pure leisure travellers to the country.