By: Isuru Parakrama
Colombo (LNW): In a bid to lead the promotion of the Tourism Industry in Sri Lanka amidst the dire need for economic revival against the worst recession suffered by the island nation since independence, Emirates has joined hands with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), renewing the friendship that has existed for decades.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that outlines a host of initiatives designed to promote Tourism and trade industries within Sri Lanka was signed between Emirates and the SLTPB recently, reminiscing the airline’s long-standing commitment to the island nation spanning more than three decades.
The signing of the MoU has taken place between Ahmed Khoory, Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial West Asia and Indian Ocean and K.P.P. Siriwardena, Managing Director of the SLTPB, at Arabian Travel Market 2023.
The unfolding of a fruiting collaboration between the two parties comes in to attract more tourists to Sri Lanka, deepening a strategic cooperation between Emirates and the island nation’s tourism forged in the previous year, and paving the way for each party to enhance their marketing and promotional efforts to expand tourism.
The collaboration will aid Emirates in developing programmes to boost tourism in Sri Lanka by showcasing it to customers across its global network, engaging in efforts to promote Sri Lanka through its network of agents in key strategic markets, and developing special packages designed to appeal to various customer segments, in addition to collaborating on joint familiarisation trips to raise awareness of the destination’s offerings to audiences in key feeder markets.
Addressing the occasion, Ahmed Khoory, Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial West Asia and Indian Ocean said this partnership is a testament to their commitment to Sri Lanka’s tourism and trade industries and in playing a key role in the revival of these vital sectors. Sri Lanka will be promoted as a key leisure destination in the networks of Emirates, whilst the airline will also be looking forward to serving demand with their services, he added.
Emirates has played a major role in the revival of the country’s tourism sector and the new collaboration will make a positive impact in Sri Lanka, K.P.P. Siriwardena, Managing Director of the SLTPB said.
The signing event was also graced by Sri Lanka’s Tourism Minister Harin Fernando, Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Udaya Indraratna, Emirates Chief Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim, and Emirates Manager Sri Lanka and the Maldives Chandana De Silva.
