Lanka to woo 42,000 tourists from Gulf

Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa has called on the UAE public and private sectors to invest in joint tourism ventures with Sri Lanka. 

He told Emirates News Agency (WAM) in an interview that his countries is open for Emirati investors who seek to invest in the areas of hotels, resorts and other entertainment facilities in the best of interest of the two friendly peoples.

The Sri Lankan minister stressed keenness of his country to bolster the bilateral cooperation with the UAE, and to benefit from its successful development experience, especially in the area of tourism.

He reiterated that the foreign trade and investment in his country were protected by laws to ensure stability and avoid potential risks. Rajapaska said Sri Lanka is an island that lies in South of Indian peninsular, and has high quality tourist merits, besides natural beauty that attract tourists with competitive prices compared to other countries in the world. 

Rajapaska revealed that Sri Lanka was planning to woo about 42, 000 tourists from the Gulf Region and the Middle East this year, indicating that Sri Lankan Airlines had launched new air routes to the region to attract many tourists, WAM reported.