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SriLankan Airlines is closely supporting initiatives by the Government of Sri Lanka to spark a boom in Middle Eastern tourism to the
country, by adding more weekly flights to the region.
With this initiative, SriLankan will have 37 weekly connections to nine cities in the Middle East – Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Muscat,
Dammam, Riyadh, Jeddah and Kuwait. Additional flights are to three cities – Doha which increases from the present 4 flights up to 6;
Bahrain which goes from 5 to 7; and Dammam which will have 3 flights, up from the present 2.
The
government identified the Middle East as one of four major thrust markets to Sri Lanka, and has launched a series of marketing
campaigns to raise awareness of the island’s attractions. There has been an 80% increase in Middle Eastern tourist arrivals during the first
quarter of 2008.
Mohamed
Fazeel, Regional Manager Middle East, Africa and CIS, said, “We are strengthening our Middle East network, as there has been a
significant increase in demand for flights in the region, and we see a lot of potential for growth. Our focus is on leisure travellers, and
airline’s leisure arm SriLankan Holidays has unveiled several packages to cater especially to Middle Eastern tourists who want to visit Sri
Lanka.”
Sri Lanka is growing in popularity as a leisure destination among Middle Eastern travellers, and western expatriates working in the region
who are drawn to the island’s golden beaches, mist-swathed tea plantations, and ancient cultural sites. An increasing number, including
women travellers, also try out the country’s many adventure sports.
Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Tourism has taken a keen interest in promoting the country in the Middle East. The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions
Board has launched a series of advertising campaigns in major media in the Middle East to increase interest in Sri Lanka as a leisure
destination. More campaigns are running in June and planned for July.
The airline’s new packages include ‘Kids Go Free’ which encouraged family vacations by offering free packages to children under 12 when
their parents bought packages; and ‘Island Breaks’ which promoted short stopover holidays in Sri Lanka among travellers transiting
Colombo to other leisure destinations.
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