Giving a much needed boost to the ailing tourism industry, Sri Lanka last week signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Israeli government with  a view to explore the possibility of initiating a joint collaboration for the development of the tourism sector in both countries.

Sri Lanka Tourist Board Additional Director General Dileep Mudadeniya told The Bottom Line in an exclusive interview that the exact initiatives under the MOU were conservation of heritage sites, crisis communication, promotion of ‘rural tourism’ and ‘agri-tourism’, and the usage of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for the improvement of the tourism industry.  “Israel will be assisting us in these respects”, he remarked.

“Rural tourism and agri-tourism are novel concepts to the Sri Lankan tourism sector.  In Israel they practice these concepts and a lot of tourists all around the world fly to Israel with a particular interest towards these.  In Sri Lanka we have all the resources and the background to practice these concepts and Israel will support us in initiating them”, he also said.

According to him, Israel is one of the countries that use ICT and modern marketing techniques innovatively, to promote its tourism industry.  “Therefore, we can hope that they will assist us in our future marketing campaigns”, he noted.

Under the MOU, the two governments will also be considering an exchange of tourists.  “Every year, nearly 2.5 million of Israelis travel to various locations around the globe, including South Asian countries such as India.  Generally, Israel has a student population who travel extensively after their compulsory military service.  In Sri Lanka we have close to 1.5 to 2 million members in the Catholic community, who are willing to visit the birth place of Jesus. Therefore, this joint collaboration could widen the Israel tourists’ travel map to include Sri Lanka as a popular tourist destination.  On the other hand, Sri Lanka could send our Catholic devotees on pilgrimage to Israel”, he stated.

To increase the number of flights between the two countries, the Sri Lankan and Israeli governments are expected to discuss the possibility of operating a charter service between the two countries with several tour operators.

This joint collaboration is a result of Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda’s visit to Israel last week with several top officials of Sri Lanka Tourist Board.  “We have identified Israel as a country where there is tremendous potential for tourism.  There are many things that our tourism industry can learn from theirs”, said Mudadeniya, who had accompanied the minister to Israel.

During the visit, it was reported that the minister and the delegation visited the ancient Masada National Park, which dates back to the first century BC and had a first hand experience of how Israel managed their vital tourist attractions.

In the coming week, a committee representing both the parties will be appointed to carry out this joint collaboration.  “For that, a delegation from Israel will be visiting Sri Lanka shortly, “Mudadeniya said.