Lanka ranked third in Gulf tourism growth

Shirajiv Sirimane in UAE

Sri Lanka has been ranked third in Asia in terms of growth of tourism for the Middle Eastern market said Director General Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau, (SLTPB) Dilip Mudadeniya.

He said Sri Lanka as a destination recently reported a 80.6 per cent growth in terms of Gulf arrivals in comparison with 2007. "This places Sri Lanka behind Thailand and the Maldives," he said.

There was also a surge in tourist arrivals in March to Sri Lanka, which increased by 8.6% over the same period last year. The highest performer during the period was the Middle East," he said.

Mudadeniya said the revenue generated from the market also saw a proportionate increase than the previous year. "The revenue generated from the Gulf market last year was US $ 1.2 million and this year we are expecting a 20 per cent increase," he said.

He said the promotions launched at the Arabian Travel Mart have helped to achieve this growth. "Before the tsunami Sri Lanka was banking heavily on Western arrivals and due to this factor there was no need to look for new markets.

With adverse travel advisories Sri Lanka was forced to look for new markets and the Gulf had been very productive," he added.

He said to attract more gulf visitors the SLTPB would be looking at employing Arab speaking tour guides. "In addition since Gulf tourists travel with their families a maid service too is needed in hotels and we are looking at the private sector to provide this service," he said.

The opening of a new SLTPB office in Dubai will maximise the opportunities emerging throughout the Middle East while strengthening support for the travel trade in the region.

SLTPB's Dubai office will co-ordinate all Sri Lanka's tourism promotional activities in the Arab market including exhibition participation, marketing visits, presentations and road shows, advertising, brochure distribution, public relations, as well as familiarisation visits to the island for influential business and travel journalists.

"We have taken many factors into consideration before deciding on Dubai including its strategic location, free enterprise system, first-rate air transport links, well-developed business Infrastructure, state-of-the-art-telecommunications and sophisticated support services," Mudadeniya added.