Sri Lanka Wants 3 million Tourists. Can the Gulf Help?

Tim Elliott (0:00)

This is the Morning Drive at Mira Business FM. Sri Lanka is targeting 3 million international tourist arrivals over the next 12 months with the UAE and I guess the wider GCC playing a key role in that strategy of growth. Eight daily direct flights from the UAE, eight daily connections across the wider GCC. So the country is looking to attract more visitors and also expanding into luxury, into wellness, weddings, cruise tourism and a lot more. Joining us this morning, Sri Lanka's Consul General in Dubai, Alexi Gunasekera. Welcome to you, good to have you here.

Alexi Gunasekera (0:34)

Good morning.

Tim Elliott (0:36)

Welcome in the studio. Mr. Chamila Jayaratna, who is the Managing Director of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. Good to have you here as well.

Chamila Jayarathna (0:45)

Hello, thank you.

Tim Elliott (0:46)

So let's discuss strategies, opportunities for Gulf travelers, for businesses. There's loads to talk about. I'm gonna start with you, Consul General. Sri Lanka is actively kind of moving away from being viewed as an affordable, tropical stopover. That's maybe a perception, or has been. How is the diplomatic and economic strategy evolved to position the island as a, I guess as a high value destination for Gulf travelers?

Alexi Gunasekera (1:15)

Good question. We don't promote Sri Lanka as a cheap destination.

I would start my, you know, saying like this. Small island, many worlds, extraordinary experience. It's sum up everything.

Tim Elliott (1:33)

I like it. I'm on track with you.

Alexi Gunasekera (1:36)

Okay. So I used to talk about how Sri Lanka was described by ancient travelers, like Marco Polo, the great traveler, who said the best island of his size. Right? Long time back. But now, I'm talking about Cameron Morphid, who traveled to 195 countries at the age of 26

And that means all 54 countries in Asia. When asked the question about Sri Lanka, he has stated Sri Lanka is the most underrated country.

Right? He talks about climbing Sea Girya and looking down from Sea Girya on top of Sea Girya. The view is like an AI-generated view. Right? Then he always talks about the underrated Sri Lankan culinary experience, the cuisine, and also the ancient gold fort and the extraordinary Sri Lankan civilization of 2,500 years. Then the golden sandy beaches and the wildlife, the elephant gathering that you get, the biggest elephant gathering in main area, probably that spectacular view, and the Sri Lankan leopards. You know, these are the things that you can see on your own eyes. Right? But he talks finally, something that you don't see, but you will feel. And the great exceptional Sri Lankan hospitality. So that's why we say, we promote Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Tourism Promotes Sri Lanka. We will always come back for more. We recently promoted Sri Lanka, saying, it's beyond your dreams. I always say, when you go to Sri Lanka, you wake up to the sound of the Indian Ocean. During the day, you traverse the great civilization of 2,500 years.

And when you come back, you see the wildlife, elephants and leopards. You come to the hotel, you have the best black tea in the world, a cup of tea, and you go to sleep with the exceptional Sri Lankan hospitality.

Simply, you will always come back for more or go back to Sri Lanka for more. That's what I can tell you.

Tim Elliott (3:57)

You're one of the greatest ambassadors for any tourism board I've ever talked to before. Do you know what's funny? I've been to Sri Lanka twice. My kids were quite a lot younger. We went the first time. It was a very kind of beach holiday. We traveled around a little bit. Second time, I experienced the elephant.

It was herds and herds of elephants through the streets. We were sat in the cafe. We had to dodge into a cafe, to be honest with you, to avoid it. It's the most remarkable experience, but you're...

It's funny you say you feel it, but you do... Of course you feel that when elephants are kind of herding towards you, but there was kind of a visceral nature to it. So I know what you mean.

Alexi Gunasekera (4:38)

True, true, true.

Tim Elliott (4:38)

Yeah.

Alexi Gunasekera (4:39)

So I mean, people, to see these things, that's why I said, small island, many worlds. It's an extraordinary experience.

Tim Elliott (4:50)

So Sri Lanka is targeting, let me ask you this, 3 million international tourists arrive over the next 12 months. So ambitious target.

How important is the GCC market to getting to that target?

Chamila Jayarathna (5:06)

So thank you, first of all, from Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. I would like to thank you for giving this opportunity, for the sake of Sri Lanka tourism.