Arabian Travel Mart begins May 1

Shirajiv Sirimane

PROMOTION: Over 60 participants will represent Sri Lanka at the annual Arabian Travel Mart, which would be held from May 1 to 4 in Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, United Arab Emirates.

This is the largest contingent ever from Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Tourism would invest Rs. 20 million for this event. The Deputy Minister of Tourism Faizer Musthapha will head the delegation.

He said they have decided to concentrate more on the gulf region to promote Sri Lanka as a destination since the Arab countries are not sensitive to violence unlike the Europeans. “We hope to woo more tourists from this regain to Sri Lanka,” he said. He said there are very good air links between Gulf and Sri Lanka where leading airlines such as SriLankan, Emirates, Etihad, Air Arabia and Qatar Airways which operate daily flights. “This too is a major advantage to promote Sri Lanka,” the Deputy Minister said.

The theme of the event this year from the Sri Lankan stand would be ‘Ceylon Tea” and the Sri Lanka Tourist Board has invited officials from the Sri Lanka Tea Board also to attend this event.

The Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Bureau too would participate in the event in a bid to attract the NICE tourism market that is growing the Gulf region.

With the intention of promoting Sri Lankan gems and jewellery in the gulf officials of the National Gem and Jewellery Authority too would participate for the event.

SLTB has obtained a large exhibition area and a stall each would be given to both the Tea Board and the Gem Authority. In addition SriLankan Airlines too would have their stand in the SLTB pavilion.

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is the largest trade and consumer travel show in the Gulf region. This annual travel show event provides your organisation the opportunity to meet with travel trade from the Gulf Region and the wider sub-continent region.

An audience of over 30,000-travel trade member, consumers and media will participate in this event thus giving valuable exposure to Sri Lanka.