Interest in exotic travel destinations rises in Lithuania: Join UP! Baltic unveils tours to Sri Lanka from Vilnius

Baltic travellers' appetite for travel remains strong despite economic challenges 

This autumn-winter season travellers in the Baltic states continue to venture abroad and Lithuanian travellers are showing a strong interest in exploring exotic destinations, despite economic challenges and geopolitical uncertainties. Join UP! Baltic has responded to this trend by introducing new tour options to the captivating island of Sri Lanka, departing from Vilnius. 

"We've observed that people are unwilling to give up their travel, as they were compelled to do during the Covid pandemic. Compared to 2022, Join UP! Baltic has served 42% more clients during this summer and expects the demand to remain high during the winter season as well. Traveling, exploring the world, and enjoying holidays with family are important aspects of maintaining the quality of life for Baltic travellers,” comments Sabina Saikovskaja, CEO of the tour operator Join UP! Baltic.  

S.Saikovskaja notes that 2022 marked a year of recovery for the tourism industry, as tourists enthusiastically returned to familiar destinations, enjoying Covid-free vacations they had longed for. Looking ahead, the winter of 2023 and the year 2024 are expected to be periods of exploration beyond the most popular and familiar vacation destinations. "Lithuanian travellers are displaying a strong desire to travel further afield, exploring new exotic destinations that have become more accessible in terms of both reachability and affordability. The dream of going to exotic places has never been closer than it is currently. This winter, we have added exotic Zanzibar in Tanzania to our portfolio with a flight from Warsaw. Starting from December, Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian travellers can journey to the pearl of the Indian Ocean - exotic Sri Lanka from Vilnius," S. Saikovskaja adds. 

In past years the emergence of new players in the Baltic travel market has opened new possibilities for Baltic travellers. Join UP! Baltic, as one of these newcomers that joined the market 1.5 years ago, with extensive international travel experience, has introduced new travel options and offerings by bringing nearly 100 new hotels to the market in destinations such as Egypt, Turkey, Montenegro, and Zanzibar. Additionally, Join UP! Baltic has made Egypt a year-round hotspot for travellers by offering tours to the land of ancient wonders even during the summer. 

Now, tours to Sri Lanka from Vilnius are available starting from December 21 for 10, 11, or 21 days, with prices starting from 1200 euros per person. Arrival is at Mattala, located in the south of the island, where the majority of the most significant landmarks are situated. The flight duration is approximately 12 hours, with a 1-hour stop for refueling in Bahrain.

Sri Lanka is one of the most beloved exotic destinations offered by Join UP!TM internationally. Join UP!TM 10 years of statistics show that every first-time tourist returns to Sri Lanka at least three times.

Sri Lanka, an island known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, is approximately the size of Lithuania, covering around 65,000 square kilometers. It offers a rich diversity of cultures, landscapes, and climatic zones that cannot be found even in countries with territories ten times larger. Sri Lanka is among the smallest countries in the Asia Pacific Region, yet it is home to six amazing UNESCO-protected cultural heritage sites, including the ancient Rock Fortress of Sigiriya, the world-famous Temple of the Tooth, and the Dambulla Cave Temple, which houses over 150 Buddhist statues.

Its exotic nature makes it one of the most photogenic places on Earth, with Ceylon tea plantations and rice fields, pristine white-sand beaches, azure oceans, wild tropical forests, and breathtaking waterfalls. Sri Lanka guarantees warm, summery weather year-round, with daytime temperatures in the coastal and lowland areas averaging around 28-30 degrees, and water temperatures around 25 degrees.

In addition, Sri Lanka has been a center of spiritual and physical healing for 2,000 years. Ayurvedic programs, which consist of a range of herbal treatments, various types of baths and massages, as well as yoga, meditation, and other Eastern and Western therapies, offer unique experiences loved by travellers.