Dubai-based Emirates Airlines has long been a supporter of Sri Lanka Tourism and has played a key role in ensuring connectivity with the destination
Sri Lanka Tourism has tied up with Emirates Airlines to mount joint global promotions and a cultural show featuring global social media sensation Yohani, who hails from Sri Lanka.
‘Yohani’ performed live at Expo 2020 Dubai with her hit song ‘Manike Mage Hithe’ at the Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre on March 5. She also launched a destination promotional song specially written and sung by her for Sri Lanka Tourism. Performing alongside ‘Yohani’ were be Sri Lankan super stars TehaniImara, Dinugi Herath and Sri Lanka’s long standing brand ambassador, Alston Koch making an appearance to sing ‘earth lung’- a song dedicated specially for creating awareness on ‘climate change’.
Dubai-based Emirates Airlines has long been a supporter of Sri Lanka Tourism and has played a key role in ensuring connectivity with the destination and enabling the travel and tourism industry to survive and thrive, says a press release by Sri Lanka Tourism. “Taking this relationship and goodwill a step forward, Sri Lanka Tourism signed an MOU with Emirates Airlines, facilitating integrated and aggressive joint promotions of tourism activity with a special focus on the Middle Eastern Market, a strategic tourism market for Sri Lanka,’’ says the tourism board.
The MOU was signed by Ahmed Khoory, senior vice president of Emirates Airlines and Kimarli Fernando, Chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism
The MOU was signed by Ahmed Khoory, senior vice president (Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean) of Emirates Airlines and Kimarli Fernando, Chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism, and it renews over 35 years of goodwill between Sri Lanka Tourism and Emirates Airlines.
At the Expo, Sri Lanka Tourism also organised the ‘Sri Lanka Tourism Expo Travel Trade Business to Business Forum’ at the Business Connect Centre, Abu Dhabi Hall in Expo 2020 Dubai to promote exchanges between travel industry from the region and internationally and travel industry stakeholders from Sri Lanka. The meeting was attended by almost 100 tour operators from the UAE, the Gulf and other parts of the world.
The forum was addressed by Prasanna Ranatunga, Minister of Tourism Sri Lanka, Malraj De Silva, Sri Lankan Ambassador to UAE, Nalinda Wijerathna, Sri Lanka Consulate General in Dubai and Fernando, who made a presentation on March 3 showcasing the uniqueness of destination Sri Lanka.
Fernando emphasised the features of Sri Lanka which go beyond the traditional offer of pristine seas and sunny beaches to the cultural diversity and places of archaeological interest to Sri Lanka’s nature and wildlife offer that keeps this island nation among the top eco tourism destinations in the world. “Sri Lanka is also long known for wellness tourism for the offer of both western and eastern forms of treatment and in the post pandemic scenario where many travellers, it is envisaged, will be seeking personal wellness and a primary motivation to travel. Some would call it a break from what a break from the known; an escape from what, the feeling of being trapped, for those that are seeking a getaway destination, Sri Lanka has proven to be a heaven,’’ Fernando told the meeting.
Fernando added that some tourists like mindfulness and meditation while others yearn for energising escapes to explore Sri Lanka’s wildlife and nature offer. “Pristine beaches, lush rainforests, ayurvedic retreats and natural wonders all giving an opportunity to connect with nature and what better destination than Sri Lanka to enjoy nature’s bounty where the island nation enjoys a forest cover of nearly 30 pc of its land mass and surrounded by beautiful beaches Sri Lanka is a treasure trove of natural resources that is sustained by local communities and traditions,” she said.
In her presentation she also spoke of the abundant wildlife in Sri Lanka that is home to the largest terrestrial animal the elephant and the largest oceanic animal the blue whale and is the only country in the world where both species can be seen within the short space of 12 hours and is considered the best wildlife destination outside of Africa. She also spoke of Minneriya, where the ‘great gathering’ of elephants happens, annually, is the only location in the world where during a predictable timing a large gathering of up to 300 elephants can be viewed.
