The number of Jordanian and Middle Eastern tourists heading to Sri Lanka is on the rise and expected to witness a further boom as intensified tourism promotion activities are being held and major tourism facilities are in the pipelines in the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean”, according to officials and experts.
The island nation, which attracts some 1.8 million tourists annually, is witnessing the construction of hotels, commercial centres and entertainment facilities, the officials and experts said during a recent familiarisation trip to Sri Lanka held in cooperation between the Sri Lanka embassy in Amman and Air Arabia.
Focusing on the country’s deep-rooted and rich history, Colombo has also embarked on a strategy to increase the number of tourists and familiarise them with its attractions and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Sigiriya, which refers to the ruins of the capital built by the parricidal King Kassapa I (477–95).
“Sri Lanka has a very rich history… It has a lot to offer… It is the place for honeymooners, nature and wild life lovers, sea sport fans. Whatever tourists are looking for, it is there in Sri Lanka,” Sri Lankan Ambassador to Jordan Abdul Latiff Lafeer said in an interview with The Jordan Times in Colombo during the trip.
The ambassador said Sri Lanka has developed a strategic marketing plan for 2016 with the participation of the private sector and stakeholders to address the needs of the tourism industry.
The strategy includes promotional activities and advertisements in various areas to attract more tourists and increase the sector’s revenues.
As many tourists go online for holiday reservations, Sri Lanka launched an online and digital marketing campaign under which it will create language-specific websites for all main markets and promote destinations via focused online and social media platforms identified in each country, said Lafeer.
Sri Lanka will also continue to hold trade and media familiarisation tours, inviting travel agents from across the world.
-The Jordan Times
-Agencies
