• Shares search interest for Sri Lanka and Maldives exceeds pre-pandemic levels
• Points out post-pandemic travellers are increasingly investing their time online to carefully plan their trips
• Says competition to win back customers and gain new ones will be very high

By Nuzla Rizkiya
Sri Lanka is becoming a favoured destination among the international travellers, with a notable increase in Google searches for accommodation, according to a US-based Google specialist. 

As the global travel industry recovers, Google Travel Ad Specialist Joanna Ong noted that Sri Lanka and the Maldives are among the top countries poised to benefit from the resurgence in international travel and hospitality, with search interest significantly exceeding the pre-pandemic levels. “On Google, demand is growing for these two countries in 2024, with more and more searches for accommodation specifically. If we look at the trends for the past three years, we see that search interest is well above the 2019 levels. Over time, there is consistent positive growth for international and domestic travel,” Ong said while addressing the ‘EME Level Up – Digital Hospitality Conclave’, organised by eMarketingEye.

She noted that the post-pandemic travellers, who had a long break due to COVID-19, are increasingly investing their time online to carefully plan their trips—a fact that destination countries like Sri Lanka should actively consider.  Moreover, the concept of loyalty in the global travel industry has evolved, offering opportunities for travel brands to leverage new markets and innovate their services for international travellers, who increasingly seek effortless travel experiences.

“Travellers now invest more time and effort into planning their trips than they ever did before. We found that individuals spend an average of eight to nine hours online a day. The post-pandemic traveller uses more than 140 touchpoints when researching new brands. 

This is a staggering number but it’s a huge opportunity if you tailor your strategy to reach out to the travellers, as you will have a greater chance of being under consideration,” Ong said.

She elaborated that a significant number of travellers in the emerging market, especially among the younger generation, are more open to building relationships with new brands that meet their expectations for seamless, personalised and quality travel experiences. 

“This means that competition to win back customers and gain new ones will be very high, giving travel brands a second chance to make a first impression,” she said.