Wednesday Jun 10, 2026
Wednesday Jun 10, 2026
Tuesday, 9 June 2026 03:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Sri Lanka–Malaysia Business Council (SLMBC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce successfully concluded a two-day Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality (MFTH) Awareness Program, conducted in collaboration with the Islamic Tourism Centre under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia.
Held in Colombo, the program brought together stakeholders from Sri Lanka’s tourism and hospitality sector to strengthen awareness of the growing Muslim travel market and the opportunities it presents for Sri Lanka.
With the global Muslim consumer market projected to reach $ 2.63 trillion by 2030, the program highlighted the importance of positioning Sri Lanka to better cater to Muslim travellers, particularly from regional markets such as Malaysia, given strong air connectivity, proximity, and cultural similarities.
Delivering remarks at the opening session, High Commissioner of Malaysia to Sri Lanka Badli Hisham Adam highlighted the importance of inclusivity in tourism and Sri Lanka’s potential to attract more Muslim travellers, particularly from Malaysia.
The first day of the program focused on tour guides, chauffeur guides, drivers, and tour lecturers, with sessions covering traveller expectations, cultural sensitivities, and practical approaches to enhancing the visitor experience for Muslim travellers.
The second day brought together travel agents, destination management companies (DMCs), restaurants, accommodation providers, and other tourism-related service providers to explore Muslim-friendly tourism offerings, itinerary development, and hospitality practices.
A key highlight of the program was the soft launch of “Jalan Ceylon”, an app designed to help travellers locate Muslim-friendly restaurants, halal dining outlets, mosques, prayer facilities, and other tourism-related services across Sri Lanka.
Commenting on the initiative, Sri Lanka–Malaysia Business Council President Marshad Barry stated that the program reflects the Council’s efforts to support industry awareness and strengthen Sri Lanka’s appeal to a growing Muslim travel segment.
