Sri Lanka readies for first major destination marketing campaign in 15 years

The wait appears to be over, as Sri Lanka finally gets ready to launch a new destination marketing campaign come end-July. The 12-month campaign, which comes with a price tag of 1.45 billion rupees (US$17.6 million), will hit key markets the UK, Germany, France, Italy, India, Ukraine, Russia, West Asia, Scandinavia, South Korea, Japan and Australia.

As part of the campaign, Sri Lanka will also commit to participation at travel shows in other markets.

Officials said this is the first major promotion campaign in 15 years.

Chalaka Gajabahu, chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, said: “We have appointed a strategic and creative agency, while the PR and social media agency will be soon finalised. We will then go ahead with a two-phased marketing blitz, where the first phase starting end-July is focused on rejuvenating Sri Lanka.”

He also told TTG Asia that the first part of the campaign is aimed at countering negative publicity and creating awareness of Sri Lanka’s readiness to welcome the world.

He elaborated: “Some foreign TV channels are still showing scenes of a (government) protest that happened last year in July. We have come a long way in our recovery, and need to tell the world that Sri Lanka is a safe and welcoming destination.”

More than 1,000 social media influencers from across Sri Lanka’s key markets are being invited this year for a Seeing is Believing campaign which is now underway.

Gajabahu also shared that a model is being developed to enable the country to attract travellers across all seasons, and to showcase Sri Lanka’s wide-ranging points of appeal.

“We want to promote our DNA of adventure, wellness, culture, wildlife and nature, sun and sand, all in one island,” he said.

source: TTG Asia