Whilst the country was celebrating New Year, Sri Lanka Tourism was focussed on building brand Sri Lanka in Riyadh and Damman and there by pegging overall numbers from the Middle East said a communique from the Sri Lanka Promotional Bureau.

The Sri Lanka Pavilion at the Riyadh Travel Mart  last week 

The overall thrust on the 12th of April by Sri Lanka Tourism was in the backdrop of the overall numbers increasing by 13.6% and the Middle Eastern market increasing business by 20.1% with Saudi Arabia way up at 37.8% and UAE at 16% and Oman at 42.1% but we are very concerned that theses numbers don't reflect the overall occupancy of the formal sector. This needs to be properly researched and a strategy in place to be captured said chairman Sri Lanka Tourism Bureau Rohantha Athukorala.

The Market head Middle East Ajantha Ratnayaka of Sri Lanka Tourism lighting the oil lamp 

The numbers are encouraging given that the middle eastern travelers are essentially summer tourists that will help iron out the off season occupancy issue in the formal tourism sector but the work we did last week in the Road Shows in Damman and Riyadh that attracted over a hundred top travel agents to engage the key 12 companies that went was very important and unique given that we did a market blitz in the whole region and got strong share of media to 

Sri Lanka than just taking party only at the Riyadh Travel Mart voiced Athukorala.

The visit by the Prince of Riyadh to the Sri Lankan Pavilion was special as a packet of Single origin Ceylon Tea was gifted by the Sri Lanka Tourism market officer for Middle East 

The special nature of the Sri Lanka pavilion was that the country came first with Sri Lanka Tourism, Sri Lanka Airlines and Sri Lanka Tea Board in unison being in the Sri Lanka pavillion which is what Sri Lanka require said Athukorala. We will further extend this at Expo 2015 and then at the Arabian Travel Mart which the biggest fair that is in the Middle Eastern calendar for tourism development agenda.

The top 12 Sri Lanka private sector with the Sri Lanka tourism officials

The finer points of branding Sri Lanka discussed with Tourism chief before the Sri Lanka 
    Delegation left on the 2 road shows and strong presence at Riyadh Travel fair 2015.