Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Roadshow concludes in Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia
Daily FT: Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Roadshow with the participation of a large number of Destination Management Companies (DMCs), successfully concluded on 24 April after a 10-year hiatus in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia at Hotel Grand Hyatt in Al Khobar. This was the second mega Sri Lanka tourism promotion roadshow held in Saudi Arabia, organised by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Riyadh in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB).
Inaugurating the roadshow, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ameer Ajwad stated that the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia which is the home for one of the world’s largest industrial cities as well as internationally reputed companies, as a highly potential market for the promotion of Sri Lanka tourism. B2B networking between the visiting top Sri Lankan DMCs and their Saudi counterparts in the Eastern Province is expected to create greater awareness about Sri Lanka tourism and enhance collaboration. The Ambassador also invited Saudi travel operators in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia to be in touch with the Sri Lanka Embassy in Riyadh for any information or assistance in promoting Sri Lanka tourism, while introducing the Embassy’s new Arabic-language Snapchat account, “Jannat Dunya” (Paradise on the Earth), dedicated to tourism promotion.
Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) Managing Director Sampath Nissanka highlighted the international endorsements and recognitions that Sri Lanka has earned in recent years as one of the world’s most preferred tourist destinations, while showcasing an array of travel offerings for Saudi tourists.
Addressing the gathering, Sri Lankan Airlines Country Manager Thusitha Wickramasinghe highlighted the growing connectivity between two countries and underscored the increase in direct flights frequently from Dammam, the Eastern capital city of Saudi Arabia to Colombo—from three to seven days a week. Sri Lankan airlines is also currently operating daily direct flights from Riyadh and Colombo.
A networking session between the 20 visiting top Sri Lankan Destination Management Companies (DMCs) and their Saudi counterparts took place during the roadshow in the Easter Province. Around 100 participants, including leading tour operators, travel agents, Saudi social media influencers, and media personnel participated in the event. Area managers of key airlines such as Saudi air, Emirates, and Gulf air also participated.
The Sri Lankan DMCs actively promoted the island as a premier, year-round destination for family, luxury, and experiential tourism. They also showcased a wide array of travel offerings including wellness retreats, wildlife safaris, cultural experiences, and halal-friendly travel.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry that is on a steady growth path would witness a further growth with the many promotional campaigns being carried out in many foreign markets while leading global travel publications continue to identify Sri Lanka as a must visit tourist destination. The growth in the tourism industry and the predicted growth for the industry have resulted in the expansion of business/investment opportunities in the industry. These opportunities cover several sectors related to the tourism industry as well as the new tourism concepts being promoted by the local tourism authorities and stakeholders. The business/investment opportunities therefore include the development of infrastructure and supplementary infrastructure facilities required by the tourism industry to meet the growing demand. There are also clear opportunities in the leisure and hospitality sectors with many international leisure and hospitality brands already engaged in Sri Lanka’s tourism or expressing interest in doing business in these sectors. All these developments indicate the growing business potential in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry and related sectors. With the positive growth in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore the expanding business/investment opportunities in the industry and related sectors.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20250509/Z_2 |