Sri Lanka woos Saudi tourists at Riyadh Travel Fair

Sri Lankan Ambassador Azmi Thassim opens the Sri Lanka pavilion at the 10th Riyadh Travel Fair.  Sri Lanka Tourism Board Assistant Director Ajantha Bandara, Sri Lankan Airlines Central Province Manager Sathira Ariyaratne, Figo Travels Commercial Counsellor Gayan Rajapaksa and Figo Travels Managing Director RMM Khalil are also present

Riyadh: Sri Lanka is an ideal tourist destination for Saudis who wish to go on a family holiday, a visiting official from the Sri Lanka Tourism Board told a packed audience at a presentation held at the Holiday Inn Al-Qasr last week. 

On the eve of the Riyadh Travel Fair held last week, the Sri Lankan Tourism Board launched a road show in the capital.

Sri Lanka Tourism Board Assistant Director Ajantha Bandara said that the number of Saudis traveling to Sri Lanka has been rising in the past, reaching a total of some 37,000 in 2016.

“This is a country where Arab visitors can enjoy Halal food, and they will feel at home due to the presence of a large number of mosques in the island, as well as islanders who will welcome the visitor with a smiling face,” he said.

The first mosque, Abrar Masjid in Beruwela, some 40 km from the capital was built by early Arabs, who visited the island as traders, he said, pointing out that that 10% of Sri Lanka’s 20 million population are Muslims. 

In his brief speech, Sri Lankan Ambassador Azmi Thassim said that his country is an attractive destination for both Arabs and western tourists. “We also get a large number of tourists from China and our close neighbour India,” he added. He pointed out that Saudis are given on-arrival entry visas at the Colombo airport at a nominal feels of SR 135.

Sri Lankan Airlines Central Province Manager Sathira Ariyaratne said that his airline operates 18 flights weekly from the Kingdom, including seven daily flights each from Jeddah and Riyadh and four from Dammam. “We also have convenient connections to major Indian destinations, Maldives, China and to Far-Eastern countries,” he concluded.

Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) Board Vice Chairman Hamad Ali Alshowair visits the Sri Lanka Pavilion after he opened the 10th Riyadh Travel Fair at the Prince Sultan Grand Hall at Al Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh

Sri Lanka received 707,924 tourists in the first three months of this year, an increase of 17.1% compared with the corresponding period last year, according to Tourism Development Minister John Amaratunga.

India, China, Germany, France and the UK are the biggest tourist markets for Sri Lanka.

Quoting the latest statistics released by the Sri Lankan Tourism Development Authority, he said the country received 233,382 tourist arrivals in March.

Two lucky winners among the guests of the road show received seven days’ accommodation and air tickets to and from Colombo from travel agents from the island.