Tag Archives: Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau

The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) has announced a new brand identity under the platform ‘So Sri Lanka’ which targets millennial travellers who select holiday destinations based on what they can hope to experience there. Revealed at World Travel Market in London, the new brand platform is grounded on the insight that Sri Lanka is more than just a destination, it’s a feeling. The brand platform has a contemporary, social and engaging design to reflect the heart and individuality of the country. It will roll out across all tourism promotion materials in a multi-channel, international campaign starting early next year. Madubhani Perera, Director—Marketing, SLTPB, says “There has never been a better time for a rebrand. Sri Lanka has just been named Lonely Planet’s Number One Destination for 2019. For us ‘So Sri Lanka’ symbolises our evolution with the digital revolution. The modern traveller goes online to seek inspiration and to find the next life-changing travel experience. ‘So Sri Lanka’ helps us evoke the inimitable feeling of our beautiful, vibrant, authentic and generous country through the smartphones of potential travellers.” Sri Lanka is the essence of a people renowned for their hospitality, a stunning landscape, rich biodiversity and a wealth of immersive experiences on offer for travellers. The rebrand marks the start of Sri Lanka’s fresh approach to destination marketing.    

Showcasing Sri Lanka as a ‘must-visit’ tourist destination, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau successfully concluded its three city roadshow held in Pune, Rajkot and Surat. Over 100 trade partners attended the event and interacted with close to 24+ Sri Lankan delegates comprising hotels, airlines, integrated resorts, attractions and DMCs. Sri Lanka has seen a substantial growth in tourist arrivals from India in the year 2017 with over 384,000 Indian travellers. The destination has already recorded a growth of 15.3 per cent during the first half of 2018 compared with the same period last year. Chamari Rodrigo, Consulate General, Sri Lanka High Commission in Mumbai said, “India topped the number of tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka at 206,337 followed by Chinese tourists at 136,294. We strongly believe that there is a huge potential in this market and we aim to go all out to reach out to the audience across India. The seven city roadshow is one of the major activities Sri Lanka tourism conducted to ensure that key Indian travel and trade personnel  maintain a close relationship with Sri Lanka’s tourism industry partners.” Viranga Bandara, Assistant Director – Marketing, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau said, “Our primariy objective for the year is to reach out to the potential travellers and showcase various attractions the destination offers. Its important as a tourism board to ensure our trade partners are well updated with the latest developments, be it visa processing, special packages, new hotel launches, etc.”  

The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau recently conducted a roadshow for the travel trade and wedding planners in Mumbai, with an aim to increase footfalls to the emerald island. The roadshow saw an attendance of 27 participants from Sri Lanka comprising leading travel companies and hoteliers besides the national carrier, SriLankan Airlines. Speaking about India as a market, Madubhani Perera, Director of Marketing, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, who attended and addressed the gathering said, “We have seen an annual rise in arrival numbers from India over the years. The roadshow was conducted to increase destination awareness and highlight the new attractions in Sri Lanka. We hope this event will add a positive impact and further increase Indian footfall in Sri Lanka. We have now planned several promotional activities for Indian markets.” Apart from the roadshow in Mumbai, the SLTPB has plans of conducting roadshows in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune later in the year. The promotion plans for 2017 also include joint promotions with international partners and a digital marketing campaign targeting potential Indian travellers. Sri Lanka received a 12.8 per cent increase in Indian tourist arrivals in 2016 and are expecting an even better double digit increase in 2017.