ISLAMABAD: Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan H.E. Fred Senevirathne met Prime Minister’s Advisor on Tourism Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan to discuss ways to further strengthen cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in tourism, culture, education and people-to-people exchanges.
The meeting held at the office of Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan focused on expanding bilateral tourism cooperation and exploring new initiatives to promote greater interaction between the people of the two countries.
During the meeting, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner highlighted Sri Lanka’s diverse tourism potential and briefed the Pakistani tourism adviser on the country’s current situation and initiatives being taken to attract international visitors.
He shared plans to organize a Sri Lanka Tea Tasting Day, Sri Lanka Food Festival and Sri Lanka Tourism Road Show in Islamabad. These events will provide an opportunity to showcase Sri Lanka’s famous tea, cuisine, culture, heritage and diverse tourist destinations to the Pakistani public, travel trade and other stakeholders.
The two sides also discussed opportunities to promote religious, medical and adventure tourism, which have considerable potential to increase tourist exchanges between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The meeting also explored the possibility of introducing travel operators’ and student exchange programmes to encourage professional, educational and cultural interaction between the two countries.
High Commissioner Senevirathne further proposed a chefs’ training and exchange programme, enabling culinary professionals from Pakistan and Sri Lanka to share their expertise and promote the distinctive food traditions of both countries.
Welcoming the proposed initiatives, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan suggested developing an Annual Tourism Promotional Events Calendar to ensure better coordination, continuity and promotion of tourism activities between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The meeting reflected a shared commitment to further strengthen the longstanding friendship between the two countries through tourism, cultural cooperation and greater people-to-people contact.
Pakistan, Sri Lanka Explore | New Avenues to Boost Tourism, Cultural Exchanges
