Arab travelers to the tropical island of Sri Lanka are showing a keen interest in the country's precious stones according to research conducted by Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau's Middle (SLTPB) East office. In a statement sent to the Saudi Gazette, Heba Al Ghais Al Mansoori, Middle East director of SLTPB, said “Arab visitors surveyed by our offices, particularly female visitors confirmed one of their primary reasons for visiting the country was to shop for precious stones.” She noted that Sri Lanka is a leading producer of gems in the world. In fact, it is home to 40 of the 85 varieties of gems in the world. Among them are the rare alexandrite, sapphire, cat's- eye, ruby, topaz, garnet, zircon, quartz, tourmaline and feldspar. Sri Lanka is currently positioned in the global market as a source of supply of high quality sapphires and as a supplier of cut and polished, free size and calibrated stones and more recently as a supplier of modern jewelry. The Sri Lankan gem sector, currently earns AED1.83 billion ($500 million) in exports earning. “Sri Lankan gems have been admired and sought after by the rich and famous for thousands of years. Legend has it that King Solomon wooed Queen Sheba by presenting her with a beautiful ruby from Sri Lanka,” Al Mansoori said. Arab merchants are believed to have been familiar with the jewels of “Serendib” giving color to the fable “Arabian Nights” and the voyages of “Sindbad the Sailor”. A 400-carat blue sapphire adorns the British Crown even today. The famous Arab traveler Ibn Battuta who traveled to Sri Lanka between 1333 and 1341 AD wrote: “All the women in the island of Ceylon have necklaces of rubies of different colors and wear them also on their arms and legs in place of bracelets and anklets,” she said. The largest star ruby in the world valued at over $25 million is also a product of Sri Lanka. The Rosser Reeves Star Ruby is a 138.7-carat stone and is recognized as the largest and finest star ruby in the world. It is named after Rosser Reeves the American advertising-guru who developed the unique selling proposition (USP) concept. Reeves donated the gem to the Smithsonian Institute in 1965 and it is now a prized exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History. “Most of Sri Lanka's precious stones are mined in the district of Ratnapura,” Al Mansoori pointed out. “The city by the same name is the center for trading in gems. It lies at the foot of the 2243-meter high Adam's Peak. It is also a launch pad for an excursion into Sinharaja, the country's largest rainforest,” she added. Known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka's beauty is not confined to precious stones. A visit to Sri Lanka would be an opportunity to sample the wild natural beauty of the country including the scenic waterfalls, spice and tea plantations, bird and wildlife reserves, tropical jungle excursions and the luxurious yet eco-friendly accommodation. The country has beautiful beaches all around.
