Sri Lanka is moving towards promoting the country as a ‘Global Wellness Destination’ According to the Global Wellness Institute, Sri Lanka has been ranked fourth on the global ranking index.
The European Union (EU) Delegation to Sri Lanka, has allocated funds to help strengthen the local wellness tourism and the initiative will include a ‘train the trainer’ and a supervised pilot roll-out course. Paul Penfold (Project Team Leader) will be in Sri Lanka for a 2-week mission to meet stakeholders and assess needs together with Dr Attanayake (National Expert) from 14 – 26 February.
Dr. Pushpika Attanayake is an Ayurvedic consultant, researcher, and a wellness expert with over 15 years of experience in Sri Lanka and abroad. Her areas of expertise extend to yoga, naturopathy, and counselling. She is a visiting lecturer in Ayurveda and Wellness Tourism at the University of Colombo, and has worked as an Ayurvedic Consultant/Spa Manager for leading hotels, including the Fortress Resort and Spa and Anantara Kalutara Resort in Sri Lanka, as well as the Royal Ayurveda, in Dubai Healthcare City. She has also served in a stint at the Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drug Corporation.
The Chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism, Kimarli Fernando commented, “Wellness and nature are high on the priority list ‘Sri Lanka is already a popular destination for holistic travel, with many visitors seeking out Ayurveda treatments, yoga retreats, and exotic spices that are an integral part of traditional Sri Lankan cuisine.
The island nation has long been known for its high-quality teas, coffee, and cacao beans, but recently it has become known as a growing producer of organic foodstuffs such as cinnamon and citrus fruit. Said walk Lanka prominent wellness providing tour operator.
