COLOMBO : The Sri Lanka–Malaysia Business Council (SLMBC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce successfully concluded a two-day Muslim-Friendly Tourism & Hospitality (MFTH) Awareness Programme, conducted in collaboration with the Islamic Tourism Centre under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia.
Held in Colombo, the programme brought together stakeholders from Sri Lanka’s tourism and hospitality sector to strengthen awareness of the growing Muslim travel market and the opportunities it presents for Sri Lanka.
With the global Muslim consumer market projected to reach USD 2.63 trillion by 2030, the programme highlighted the importance of positioning Sri Lanka to better cater to Muslim travellers, particularly from regional markets such as Malaysia, given strong air connectivity, proximity, and cultural similarities.
Delivering remarks at the opening session, High Commissioner of Malaysia to Sri Lanka His Excellency Badli Hisham Adam highlighted the importance of inclusivity in tourism and Sri Lanka’s potential to attract more Muslim travellers, particularly from Malaysia.
The first day of the programme focused on tour guides, chauffeur guides, drivers, and tour lecturers, with sessions covering traveller expectations, cultural sensitivities, and practical approaches to enhancing the visitor experience for Muslim travellers.
The second day brought together travel agents, destination management companies (DMCs), restaurants, accommodation providers, and other tourism-related service providers to explore Muslim-friendly tourism offerings, itinerary development, and hospitality practices.
A key highlight of the programme was the soft launch of “Jalan Ceylon”, an app designed to help travellers locate Muslim-friendly restaurants, halal dining outlets, mosques, prayer facilities, and other tourism-related services across Sri Lanka.
Commenting on the initiative, President of the Sri Lanka–Malaysia Business Council, Marshad Barry stated that the programme reflects the Council’s efforts to support industry awareness and strengthen Sri Lanka’s appeal to a growing Muslim travel segment.
