brand logo

THASL hails Global Tourism Campaign 

26 Aug 2021

  • Commends tourism authority for getting campaign off the ground
The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) issued a statement yesterday (25) commending the Government for taking steps to commence the much-awaited destination marketing campaign targeting over 16 key countries.  The proposed campaign will focus on eight key generating markets including the UK, Germany, France, Russia, India, China, the Middle East, and Australia, where specific destination representative companies will be appointed. Furthermore, the THASL noted the steps taken to appoint public relations (PR) agents in emerging markets including the US, Spain, Scandinavia, Italy, Poland, theNetherlands, South Korea, and Japan. The THASL also commented on the transparency and the adaptation of best practices to select the global partners of Sri Lanka Tourism for the proposed campaign. Cabinet approval has been granted for a five-year campaign which is estimated to cost over $ 190 million. Commenting on the proposed global campaign, THASL Chairman Sanath Ukwatte said: “This is a long-standing expectation by the tourism industry, which has invested over $15 billion in the industry. It is the expectation of the industry that the Government will implement the proposed campaign to entice potential travellers back to the country. We extend our sincere appreciation to the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) for going through this comprehensive exercise and achieving key milestones, making the campaign ready to be launched in the second quarter of 2022. We would like to extend our fullest co-operation and assistance to make this campaign a success, as this will be a major boost to start the recovery process of the industry hit by crises due to Covid-19.” Commenting on the global campaign, Advisory Committee Chairman Hiran Cooray stated: “Profiling and positioning the destination is one of the core tasks of the National Tourism Organisation. It is indeed commendable, the progress achieved so far in the proposed global campaign, which we struggled with for over 10 years. We sincerely appreciate the efforts taken by the Minister of Tourism and the Sri Lanka Tourism officials and their efforts to make this dream a reality. We have a long way to go but the journey of a thousand miles starts with a step." In 2018, the tourism sector accounted for $ 4.5 billion in earnings and provided direct and indirect employment for over three million people.


More News..