New measures to attract M-E travellers

With the number of outbound Arab travellers on the rise, a direct outcome of the region experiencing unprecedented economic prosperity, Sri Lankan tourism is diverting increased attention to tap into the growing traffic, Deputy Tourism Minister Faizer Musthapha told Gulf News.

“Strong growth, especially with oil at more than $100 a barrel, the whole world is looking at the Middle Eastern travellers and we don’t want to be left behind,” he said. “We have been focusing on the region for the last two to three years and it has paid dividends.”

For 2006 and 2007, traffic from the region has grown at an annual rate of 30 per cent and for the first six months of this year the growth has maintained the same momentum, the Deputy Minister said.

“Last year, we had about 20,000 Arab travellers and 30,000 expatriates of this region travelling to Sri Lanka,” Musthapha said. “In terms of growth this has been the fastest growing market for our tourism industry when compared to other regions. Our promotion budget for the region has grown fivefold in the last two years.”

Marketing strategies have included promoting Sri Lanka on Al Jazeera television, media familiarisation trips for the regional media and setting up a tourism promotion bureau in Dubai.

Air connectivity with the region over the last few years has also grown with more than 100 flights a week to Sri Lanka. Emirates airlines, in this year’s brochure, has promoted Sri Lanka as a prime holiday destination.

“We are very competitively priced. If you look at hotels, our rates are $150 per night compared to $200-$300 in other destinations and the facilities we offer is second to no other. It is value for money destination.”

On a visit to UAE, Musthapha has been meeting hoteliers and tour operators to see how to drive up the traffic from the region to the island nation. Tourism strategies of the country are undergoing a change with an eye on this market, especially catering to the cultural and geographical needs of the travellers, the Deputy Minister said. Malaysia comes in for a mention, by way of comparison.

“If you look at geographical proximity, you see a lot of Arab nationals going to Malaysia on holiday which is a long-haul destination. But Sri Lanka is only four-hour flight and we have all the diversity of what Malaysia has to offer,” Musthapha said. “The country has a lot of greenery and cool destinations. Nuwara Eliya, Kandy and Colombo are some popular spots and with a 10 per cent Muslim population, the visitors can profess their faith without any worry.”

Previously catering to European visitors primarily as a beach destination, the tourism board’s recent focus on the Middle East has meant initiating a series of steps such as halal food being made available and ensuring privacy and more family type of accommodation and providing Qibla directions.

“Menu cards are now in Arabic and there are Arabic translators in hotels, with more and more staff of hotels being trained to speak in Arabic,” the Deputy Minister said.

Investments from the region to set up hotels and hospitality training schools are in the talks, he said.

Gulf News