Colombo, Feb 11, 7.30PM – In a significant boost for sports tourism, the Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) has proudly kicked off its World Junior Team Competition Asia-Oceania Pre Qualifying tournament. The opening ceremony took place on Sunday, and the exciting tournament matches are set to begin on Monday at the SLTA courts in Colombo.
With the participation of 35 teams from 23 countries, the event aims to showcase Sri Lanka as a vibrant destination for international tennis competitions. SLTA President Iqbal Bin Issac emphasized the positive impact of the tournament on the Sri Lankan economy and sports tourism.
“We are promoting sports tourism in Sri Lanka through our own initiatives at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association. We maintain a strong relationship with the International Tennis Federation (ITF),” said SLTA President Iqbal Bin Issac.
The opening ceremony had distinguished guests, including the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia Khalid Hamoud N Alkahtani as the Chief Guest and Jonathan Stubbs, ITF Development Officer for South and East Asia. A total of 35 teams from 23 countries participated in the event.
“Our venues meet high standards, and they provide us with the opportunity to host the event in Sri Lanka, which has been positively reported to the ITF,” added SLTA President Iqbal Bin Issac.
Highlighting the impact on tourism, he stated, “This week alone, we have booked over 600 room nights in Colombo to accommodate foreign tourists. Each team brings four players, along with their families, friends, and supporters. Presidents of federations from various countries and their officials have also attended the tournament, attracting a significant number of visitors to Sri Lanka.”
Looking ahead, SLTA President Iqbal Bin Issac announced the upcoming opening ceremony scheduled for next Sunday. “In that event, we will have 45 teams participating from 32 countries worldwide, bringing an additional 800-900 room nights for accommodation.”
He also mentioned the ongoing wheelchair tennis tournament, with the first leg held in Colombo and the second leg starting in Negombo. “Within the next two weeks, we will witness the participation of countries like India, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea, Brazil, and Japan in the wheelchair tennis tournament as well,” concluded SLTA President Iqbal.
