Basil promises funds for global tourism promotion campaign

• Finance Ministry pledges US $ 56mn for global promotion campaign
• Funds to be directed towards campaign by 2Q22
• Tourism Min says preliminary work of campaign already completed
• Campaign management unit, creative agency and digital agency to be appointed
• PR firms scheduled to be selected before end of 1Q22 

The long-delayed global tourism campaign will receive funding assistance from the Treasury with Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa having agreed to extend US $ 56 million for the effort. 
The Tourism Ministry yesterday said the funds will be directed towards the campaign in the second quarter of the year.

The decision was taken earlier this week at a meeting held between the heads of the two ministries. 
The objective of the assistance is to step up efforts and implement the promotional campaign so that the island nation witnesses a higher number of arrivals. 

Sri Lanka aims to welcome a total of 1.1 million international visitors by the end of 2022. 
In the recent weeks, the government and Central Bank have repeatedly stressed the need for Sri Lanka to have higher tourist arrivals so that the much sought-after foreign exchange earnings can be fetched.

The five-year global promotion campaign was approved by the Cabinet last year. The campaign targets the major source markets: the UK, Germany, India, China, Australia, Russia, the Middle East, USA, Japan, Korea, Spain and Scandinavia. 

According to Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, the campaign will kick off by the second quarter of this year and the preliminary work has already reached completion.

Work is underway to appoint a campaign management unit, a creative agency and a digital agency, he said. Public relations firms are expected to be appointed before the end of the first quarter of this year, added Ranatunga. 
In addition to the global tourism promotion programme, the Tourism Promotion Bureau has been instructed to implement a series of special promotion programmes on countries that are not identified in the global campaign but are of high potential. 

Earlier this week, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Chairperson Kimarli Fernando said the mega marketing campaign is the first of its kind to be launched by Sri Lanka Tourism. 

Speaking at the launch of a private sector content creation initiative this week, she stressed it is not a mere promotional campaign but an integrated programme that focuses on ensuring the benefits of growth of the tourism industry reaches all districts across the country. 

As the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the needs, demands and expectations of travellers, Fernando said Sri Lanka Tourism will focus on promoting experiences as opposed to mere hotel stays.
As of the third week of February, Sri Lanka had recorded over 150, 000 tourist arrivals.