Patrick Elligett, September 9th, 2009
Sri
Lanka’s major holiday destinations will now offer halal food, in a bid
to cater for a recent influx of tourists from the Middle East.
Since approximately 70% of the nation’s citizens are Bhuddist, the
initiative was developed specifically for the benefit of Muslim
tourists.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau’s (SLTPB) Middle East
director, Heba Al Ghais Al Mansoori, claimed Arab travellers could now
confidently explore the country’s diverse culinary offering.
“Previously, it [halal food] wasn’t available in some places, but
now they make sure it is available in all the resorts and hotels so
Arab tourists won’t have a problem there,” she said.
“There are many things Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is doing at the
moment to make sure it’s easy for Arab travelers to adapt while staying
there.”
The SLTPB recently announced a dramatic leap in the number of Arab tourists visiting from the Middle East.
In June this year the number of visitors from Saudi Arabia and the UAE almost tripled, according to the bureau.
