The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, together with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and other Sri Lankan stakeholders, namely the Western Tourism Board and the North Western Province Tourism Authority, engaged in a virtual meeting with senior officials of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for a knowledge-sharing session aimed at facilitating Sri Lanka’s participation in the Best Tourism Villages (BTV) initiative of the UNWTO. The session, held on 31 March 2026, underscored the importance of a unified national effort to position Sri Lanka’s rural destinations on the global tourism map.
Delivering the opening remarks, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ameer Ajwad, briefed on the Government of Sri Lanka’s strong commitment to rural development through sustainable tourism. Highlighting Sri Lanka’s success story in promoting Community-Based Tourism (CBT), he noted that the country’s participation in the UN Best Tourism Villages (BTV) initiative would serve as an impetus to effectively showcase its nature-rich rural tourism on the global stage. The Ambassador also extended his sincere appreciation to Mr. Samer AlKharashi, Director of the UN Tourism Regional Office in Riyadh, for facilitating the virtual session.
Senior officials of the UNWTO, Ms Patricia Carmona Redondo and Ms Carmen Beatriz Rodriguez, delivered informative presentations on the UNWTO’s Best Tourism Villages (BTV) initiative. Ms Kusala Amunupurage from Sri Lanka Tourism and senior officials from the Western Tourism Board, as well as the North Western Province Tourism Authority also participated in the discussions.
Mr. Mohamed Anas, HoC/Minister, and Ms. Tashma Vithanawasam, First Secretary of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh, also participated in the meeting.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Riyadh
04 April 2026
