SRI LANKA EMERGING AS DESTINATION OF CHOICE FOR ARAB TOURISTS

By Muin Abdul Majid

DUBAI, July 13 (Bernama) -- Middle East tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka rose
by 102 per cent in the first six months of 2010 over the same period last year,
according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau's (SLTPB) Middle East
office.

Its director, Heba Al Mansoori, said despite apprehensions of an unsteady
global economy, discerning Arab travellers were spending time and money on
travel, and Sri Lanka had been one of the preferred destinations.

"While 2009 was when the recovery process started, with the end of three
decades of war, the rebound has been robust and rapid and the recovery is being
driven by the Middle East," she said in a statement.

According to her, strong growth came from key markets such as the United
Arab Emirates (up 209 per cent), Saudi Arabia (up 96 per cent) and Kuwait (up 50
per cent).

The statement did not provide actual tourist arrival figures to Sri Lanka.

However, it noted that Sri Lanka's tourism industry was resilient and the
government was sparing no efforts to revitalise the sector which had a key role
to play in the country's economic recovery and stability.

Al Mansoori said that in the Middle East in particular, travelling closer
and for shorter periods and demanding value for money seemed to have been
accentuated during the post-crisis period.

SLTPB opened its office in Dubai in May 2008 to maximise the opportunities
emerging throughout the Middle East.
-- BERNAMA