The Sri Lanka Embassy in Riyadh, as part of the Economic Diplomacy Program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, organized a tourism promotional event on 13 December 2023, at the embassy premises. The event witnessed the active participation of numerous tour operators, media representatives, and social media influencers.
A comprehensive presentation on Sri Lanka's tourist attractions was delivered in both Arabic and English, highlighting various aspects of Sri Lanka including culture, wild life, nature, adventure, cuisine, Trail of Ibn Battuta, and Adams Peak. “Ahlan Sri Lanka”, Arabic language website of the mission which is dedicated for Sri Lanka tourism promotion among Arab speakers was also launched during the event.
Another notable feature of the promotional event was the exploration of historical connections between the 14th-century traveler IBN Battuta and Sri Lanka. The event marked the official launch of the IBN Battuta Trail travel package, which includes Adam’s Peak and was introduced through collaboration between the Sri Lankan Airlines and Walkers Tours.
During the event, Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, PM Amza expressed appreciation for the growing interest among Saudi travelers to visit Sri Lanka, often referred to as Jannathul Davla (paradise on earth) by Saudis. He noted that Arabs were the pioneers in promoting Sri Lanka tourism, having named the country "serendip" during their travels along the ancient silk route, a term later integrated into the English vocabulary as "serendipity" in the 18th century.
A panel discussion, moderated by Minister and Head of Chancery NMM Anas, comprising Country Manager, Sri Lankan Airlines Thusitha Wickramasinghe, Senior Marketing Manager, Walkers Tours Pvt Ltd Salmaan Hugue and Director ( Travel, Trade, Marketing and Aviation), AVIAREPS Chinthaka Bandara was also held followed by a Q & A session.
The attendees were served with Ceylon tea and traditional Sri Lankan cuisine.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Riyadh
15 December 2023
