TOURISM COMMUNIQUE – Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau
Ending the roller-coaster year 2022, Sri Lanka tourism is planning an aggressive marketing and promotional campaign targeting the latter half of the winter season. The time is appropriate to highlight the message that Sri Lanka not only offers some of the best attractions but is also safe and open to welcome the discerning traveler.
This year posed many challenges for the Sri Lankan people and tourism in particular was gravely affected however, the newly appointed government made it mandatory to not only restore the country to a state of normalcy but revive the industry and the economy at large.
As a resilient nation, the general public are returning to their day-to-day lives, the shortages in essentials are being addressed and the power and energy supply to the country is a top priority for the government. This will ensure tourism is not affected and it will be business as usual for all sectors.
Compared to last year, Sri Lanka Tourism has achieved 300% growth in terms of tourist arrivals with the expected figure to reach over 700,000 arrivals by end of the year. All airlines operating to the Island have increased their frequencies whilst several airlines from Europe including Aeroflot, Air France and Edelweiss and cruise lines have commenced operations in recent months. Sri Lanka is therefore, now more than ever, ‘open’ and are welcoming visitors from across the globe.
Sri Lanka Tourism together with a strong contingent of both DMCs and Hotels, participated at the World Travel Market in the UK in November confirming the islands resilience.
Currently, the SLTPB are mapping out a PR & Media plan to gain the support of mainstream, digital and social media and news platforms representing key source markets. Several familiarization trips were organized for international travel agents in the past and all trade partners have been assured that the necessary promotional activities will continue with emphasis on specialized areas such as Film Tourism to attract more entertainment related Investments to Sri Lanka.
Locally, the country is preparing for the festivities with the city of Colombo being illuminated and many activities happening around Galle Face and at the Lotus Tower premises.
Plans to appoint a PR and Digital Agency to support the promotional efforts in key markets is on the cards together with collaborations with mainstream travel influencers and partnering with International Travel TV shows.
We invite all travelers to visit Sri Lanka and help the destination overcome the challenges faced by those who are dependent on tourism as a primary source of income and assist in playing a key role in foreign income generation which aids the overall economic revival of Sri Lanka. We assure all visitors a safe, memorable and experiential journey on their next visits to Sri Lanka!
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