- Airline and tourism authority to continue collaborating to enhance in-bound tourism
At the Arabian Travel Market 2025, Emirates and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) have renewed their partnership aimed at further developing the country’s tourism and trade industries. The partnership was sealed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parties.
The MoU was signed by Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President of Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean and Sampath Nissanka, Managing Director – Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. The signing ceremony was also attended by Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer; Alexi Gunasekera, Consul General-designate of Sri Lanka to Dubai and the Northern Emirates in addition to other representatives of the airline and tourism board.
First inked in 2022, the renewed MoU will strengthen the collaboration between Emirates and SLTPB, with both the airline and tourism body reiterating their commitment to actively promote Sri Lanka as a destination to key markets within Emirates’ network. Through joint initiatives, such as developing excursions and familiarization trips to promote the island nation to key feeder markets, Emirates and SLTPB aim to grow the tourism industry of the popular Indian Ocean destination by showcasing the destination to customers across the airline’s global network.
The joint efforts to boost the nation’s tourist industry have supported a steady increase in inbound traffic into the island, which recorded just over 2 million visitors in 2024. Between April 2024 and March 2025, Emirates carried over 240,000 passengers into Sri Lanka from key markets around its network including Russia, the UK, Germany, Australia, China, and the US, among others.
Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial West Asia & Indian Ocean said: “We have been serving Sri Lanka for 39 years, and it continues to be an important market for us. We reaffirm our commitment to connecting Sri Lanka to the world through additional flights to increase connectivity and passenger convenience, the deployment of our latest aircraft, the A350, and by renewing our MoU with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau as testament to the efforts we are investing into the nation’s tourism industry.
“Through our joint collaboration, we have seen a significant rise in tourism levels in the country and we look forward to another year of shared success in the promotion of Sri Lanka as a key leisure destination across our diverse network.”
Sampath Nissanka, Managing Director – SLTPB said: “Our close collaboration with Emirates has already yielded remarkable growth in tourism to our beautiful island nation, and we are excited to embark on another year of mutual success. This joint commitment to promoting Sri Lanka across Emirates’ extensive global network will undoubtedly showcase the unique charm and allure that makes Sri Lanka a premium leisure destination for travellers worldwide.”
“Sri Lanka, a jewel in the Indian Ocean, boasts a rich tapestry of attractions that cater to every type of traveller and Emirates’ extensive network, connecting over 140 destinations across six continents, provides unparalleled access to Sri Lanka for travellers worldwide. This collaboration will strategically highlight Sri Lanka’s diverse offerings to a global audience, tapping into key markets and attracting discerning travellers seeking authentic and enriching experiences. We are confident that this partnership will not only increase tourist arrivals but also showcase the warmth of our hospitality and the incredible potential of Sri Lanka as a leading tourism destination in the years to come.”
Emirates recently launched its A350 services on flights EK654/655 with 6-weekly flights, to increase to daily on 7 May. Colombo is also one of the destinations that is set to receive the Boeing 777 with refreshed interiors, from 10 August on its daily EK650/651 flights.
Emirates began operations to Sri Lanka in April 1986 and has consistently supported the country’s tourism and export industries through passenger and cargo services. Earlier this year, the airline added a fourth daily flight and deployed its latest aircraft to Sri Lanka, increasing seat capacity on the route by 30 percent.
Photo caption:
At the MoU signing was Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations, West Asia and Indian Ocean (right) and Sampath Nissanka, Managing Director – Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (left), in the presence of Alexi Gunasekera, Consul General-designate of Sri Lanka to Dubai and the Northern Emirates and Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer.
