The Sri Lanka Consulate in Jeddah launched a comprehensive website on the first day of the new Islamic year to enable the country’s expatriates to avail themselves of its services, and for others to have a glimpse into the island’s tourist and economic potentials for mutual benefits, Arab News reported.

The website, scgjeddah.embassy.gov.lk, will help to promote Sri Lanka in all aspects, with a provision to contact government officials and even the country’s president, prime minister and other top officials at a click of a button.

Designed and developed by Consul General M. Faizer Mackeen, the site was formally launched by Attaché Victor Wijetunga, senior officer at the mission at the request of Mackeen.

The site has been technically projected by Geeth Jayalath and Sameera Dananjaya Wijeratne with a team from Trans Technologies.

”The web portal is a referral website to the world at large, especially to the people of the Kingdom, providing enhanced information on trade, investment, tourism, and foreign employment, supported with lots of other features,” Mackeen told Arab News.

He pointed out that the best part of the website is that companies and organizations can have their enquiries or complaints on existing matters registered at the mission.

”Migrants working in the Kingdom would also have the opportunity to forward their problems through this website without visiting to make a complaint personally about their grievances,” he added.

He said the website also gives an important opportunity for Sri Lankans to communicate with the consul general’s office on matters related to their work and stay in the Kingdom.

Haj and Umrah operators are also covered on this website.

During the next Haj or Umrah season, Mackeen said operators would be called upon to form their respective list of pilgrims in the system with their names, date of birth, and other details to enable the mission to coordinate activities and monitor their movements till their departure back to Sri Lanka without leaving room for overstay in the Kingdom. 

Moreover, he said this web portal would act as a useful reference to trading activities in the absence of an attaché at the mission to handle the trade affairs of the mission.

“Promoting Sri Lanka as a destination for Arab tourists, as well as for Saudis visiting for business, are our primary concerns,” he said, pointing out that Saudis can also apply for entry visas to the island through the portal of the immigration department.