Sri Lanka holds tourism roadshow in Saudi Arabia
The embassy organized the roadshow with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, with the first event held on Tuesday in Riyadh, and the second on Thursday in Alkhobar.
Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ameer Ajwad inaugurated the roadshow which included several destination-management companies from both nations.
Ajwad told Arab News on Thursday that the initiative marked a significant new chapter in Sri Lanka's tourism promotion efforts in Saudi Arabia as it comes after a six-year hiatus.
He urged tourism firms of both nations to collaborate on marketing Sri Lanka. He said Saudi Arabia tourists are expected to spend $25.49 billion by 2027 on overseas travel.
Ajwad said the two nations have strong ties and recently marked 50 years of diplomatic relations.
'As Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia are promoting the tourism industry in an active manner, both countries have huge potential to collaborate and complement each other in this sector.
'For this purpose, regular interaction between the inbound and outbound tour operators of both countries facilitated by both government authorities, will be helpful,' he added.
Ajwad also launched on Tuesday a dedicated Snapchat account named 'Jannat Dunya' in Arabic for the promotion of Sri Lanka tourism in Saudi Arabia.
Addressing the gathering, Sampath Nissanka, managing director of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, provided an overview of his country's growing industry.
He said Sri Lanka's was targeting 5 million arrivals by 2030 with high-end travelers accounting for 50 percent of that figure.
Thusitha Wickramasinghe, country manager for Sri Lankan Airlines, and tourism representatives, highlighted the attractions of the country for travelers.
The attractions include halal eateries, luxury wellness retreats, wildlife safaris and cultural experiences.
A networking session between the visiting top 20 Sri Lankan tourism firms and their Saudi Arabia counterparts took place during the Riyadh event.
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