Sri Lanka Tourism has embarked on a transformative journey, steadily rebranding itself under the new identity, “Sri Lanka: You Will Come Back for More.” This vibrant new outlook reflects a fresh chapter in the country’s tourism success story, marked by a resilient bounce back from its past economic challenges

One of the standout initiatives in 2024 was the “Seeing is Believing” campaign, which brought the beauty and culture of Sri Lanka to the global stage. By inviting 58 foreign media professionals, including travel influencers and bloggers, the campaign generated over USD 550 million worth of media publicity. This powerful push amplified the nation’s image, showing the world that Sri Lanka is not just back—it’s better than ever

“With over 1,250,000 million tourist’s arrivals recorded up to the 15th of August, there is no doubt that we can surpass the anticipated targets for this year. We can attribute this surge in arrivals to the multiple factors which have been both private sector and government driven” said Chalaka Gajabahu, Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. Throughout the year, Sri Lanka Tourism has had a significant presence on the international stage. Participating in 16 major travel shows, including ITB-Germany, FITUR-Spain, ATM-Dubai, IFTM-France, SATTE-India, BIT-Milan, and GITF-China, the country showcased its offerings to a global audience. Additionally, 16 roadshows were organized in key markets like India, China, Australia, and Turkey, focusing on business-to-business (B2B) sessions to forge stronger ties with international partners.

Domestically, Sri Lanka Tourism has supported cultural events of national importance, such as the Duruthu Perahera, Gangarama Navam Perahera, Buddha Rashmi Vesak Festival, and the Kandy Esala Perahera. These events not only attract tourists but also preserve and promote Sri Lanka’s rich cultural heritage.

“The Northern city of Jaffna was recently categorized as a ‘hidden gem’ by CNN further increasing awareness on Sri Lanka’s northern capital”

A significant milestone this year was the launch of PR and digital campaigns in top markets like India, China, the UK, Germany, and France. These year-long campaigns aim to boost awareness of Sri Lanka, especially during the winter season, paving the way for a strong 2025.

Sri Lanka’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. In 2024, the country garnered 15 international endorsements, including being ranked the 4th most popular solo travel destination by Forbes Magazine, and topping the list for best places for solo female travel. Additionally, Sri Lanka Tourism won the “Best International Tourism Board” award at the Global Tourism Awards in New Delhi, India.

When commenting on the MICE segment Nalin Perera, Director General Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority said “The MICE market has contributed approximately 10% to Sri Lanka’s Tourism figures”

The upcoming Digital Marketing campaign is scheduled to kick off in Q4 of this year with the aim to run for a period of six months. The Public Relations campaign is also due to commence for a period of one year.

“The spend allocated is according to the available funds and may not be considered a lot in comparison to the media spend budgets of our competitor destinations. However, the split has been carefully studied and spend has been attributed accordingly to both create a significant impact and highlight the proper messaging to the world”

The industry is confident that this winter season 2024/2025 will be one of the best Sri Lanka has witnessed. Tourists, from strong arrivals markets like India, the UK, Russia, Germany, France, and China will see an increase. The future looks promising as markets like Australia, the USA, the Netherlands, and Poland show strong growth potential. With these successes, Sri Lanka Tourism is optimistic about reaching its target of 2.3 million tourists by the end of the year.

Source: file:///C:/Users/ase9883/Downloads/TravelTalkAsia%20%20Vol.09%202024.pdf