Emirates, UAE’s largest airline, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau at the Emirates Group Headquarters in Dubai.
The agreement reaffirms the airline’s commitment to Sri Lanka and outlines mutually beneficial strategies that will help revive the country’s trade and tourism industry. The MoU was signed by Mr. Ahmed Khoory, Senior Vice President of Emirates, Commercial West Asia and Indian Ocean, and Ms. Kimarli Fernando, Chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.
Under the agreement, Emirates and Sri Lanka Tourism will benefit from joint activities that will help enhance trade and tourism, including trade shows, trade familiarization trips, exhibitions, and workshops.
Ahmed Khoory SVP Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean Emirates
“Sri Lanka remains a very key market in Emirates’ global network and the agreement signed today underscores our unwavering commitment to the country. We launched operations in Colombo more than 35 years ago, and our partnership continues to grow from strength to strength. We look forward to exploring mutually beneficial initiatives that will help revive the nation’s trade and tourism sectors, and provide Emirates with an opportunity to serve market demand.”
Ms. Fernando said that “Sri Lanka is a beautiful island destination with esteemed strategic partners such as Emirates, this is a vital aspect to steer Sri Lanka’s travel and tourism industry. Therefore, this partnership is crucial for us to explore and capitalize opportunities that emerge and to open up many beautiful avenues to establish brand awareness and perceived quality in the global tourism market.”
Since the nation safely re-opened to international tourists in February 2021, Emirates has carried more than 80,000 passengers to Colombo. The airline currently operates 28 weekly flights to Colombo and is the only international carrier to serve the country with First Class services, offering passengers superior products and superior comfort in air and on-ground.
