COLOMBO : The Sri Lanka–Malaysia Business Council (SLMBC) delegation, led by President Marshad Barry along with Treasurer Zaharine Hameen and Executive Committee member M.Z.M. Rushdi, recently visited Malaysia to meet with senior officials of the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) regarding the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Islamic-Friendly Tourism.
The SLMBC of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce successfully concluded a two-day Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality (MFTH) Awareness Program in collaboration with the ITC under Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. Held in Sri Lanka, the program brought together stakeholders from the tourism and hospitality sector to strengthen awareness of the growing Muslim travel market and the opportunities it presents for Sri Lanka. Notably, this was the first program conducted by ITC outside Malaysia. With the global Muslim consumer market projected to reach USD 2.63 trillion by 2030, the program emphasized the importance of positioning Sri Lanka to better cater to Muslim travellers, particularly from regional markets such as Malaysia, given strong air connectivity, geographical proximity, and cultural similarities.
Following the success of the program and the positive feedback from stakeholders and participants, the SLMBC delegation visited ITC Malaysia to discuss further collaboration and to enhance the standards of Islamic-Friendly Tourism. The aim is to attract not only Malaysian tourists but also visitors from across the Islamic world, thereby strengthening Sri Lanka’s tourism sector.
Mr. Mohamed Faisal, Director General of the Islamic Tourism Centre, expressed his gratitude to the SLMBC for this initiative and assured his fullest support. He stated that he and his team look forward to working closely with the SLMBC. President Marshad Barry, in turn, conveyed his appreciation for ITC’s support and highlighted that conducting such a program for the first time in ITC’s history—and in Sri Lanka—was a milestone. He further noted that this initiative will help promote Sri Lanka as one of the best destinations offering Islamic-Friendly Tourism.
