SL expects 20% jump in tourists from Oman

Thursday, 5 May 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Muscat: Sri Lanka expects tourist arrivals from Oman to increase to 20 % of the total in 2016.

This was stated by Mihin Lanka, Country Manager Oman, Deepal Pallegangoda, during a Sri Lanka Tourism road show at Al Falaj Hotel, Muscat on Sunday.”It [tourist arrivals] from Oman is growing every year and we hope that 20,000 Omanis will visit Sri Lanka in 2016,” Deepal Pallegangoda said.

Talking about the main markets in the Gulf, he mentioned that Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman are main source of tourists from the region for the island nation. “We are trying to portray Sri Lanka as the most attractive and most affordable destination this summer,” he added. Other dignitaries present in the road show included Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Sultanate of Oman M.K. Pathmanaathan, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Assistant Director Ajantha Rathnayake, Sri Lanka Embassy Second Secretary Hiruni Rajapakse, and Minister of the Sri Lanka Embassy J.H. Liyanage, The country witnessed a 22.8 % growth in tourist arrivals in March 2016 compared to the same period last year. The country received 192,841 visitors, mainly from China and India.