SL Tourism receives fresh impetus with BBC no-cost partnership

• Campaign entailed 375 spots on 30-second commercials for one month
• Commercials aired in South Asia, Asia Pacific, Middle East, North America and Europe 

Sri Lanka tourism has received a much-required impetus for revival with the British public service broadcaster, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) having come on board to promote the island nation to the world.

The media giant has entered into a “no-cost” partnership with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) to facilitate a comprehensive “high visibility” advertising campaign. 
The campaign that was launched in June 2020 received a coverage of 375 spots on 30-second commercials for a period of one month, the SLTPB said in a statement yesterday.

The campaign was aired in the South Asia, Asia Pacific, Middle East, North America and Europe news feeds of the BBC Network, both Digital and TV. 

“The high visibility destination marketing campaign was a result of the long-standing partnership with the media platform and a testament to Sri Lanka’s proactive guidelines and protocols that have been put in place to provide travellers from across the world a ‘safe and secure’ experience in a post-COVID-19 environment,” the statement added.

The SLTPB stressed that considering the destination marketing space will be highly competitive in the new normal, continuous visibility of the Sri Lanka Tourism brand is essential.

The bureau also said it is currently working on several advertising campaigns to keep Sri Lanka at the forefront among the selected target markets.

“We are geared to promote the paradise island once more as a top travel and tourism destination with a diverse range of attractions from pristine beaches to lush green mountains and an island that offers ‘unmissable experiences’ while ensuring the safety of all travellers,” the SLTPB said.

It highlighted that despite the industry being “considerably affected” by the COVID-19 outbreak, Sri Lanka Tourism is currently taking several measures to revive the tourism sector by collaborating with key international organisations and platforms. 

These efforts are being achieved through destination promotional marketing among new markets via social and digital media, it said.

Pointing out that the global travel and tourism industry has faced a major setback with the pandemic, the SLTPB noted that Sri Lanka faces a tough challenge in encouraging tourist arrivals with the new health precautions and safety guidelines in place.The SLTPB stressed that Sri Lanka has been highly successful in its efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 and has proven that the country is not just the world’s number one travel destination but also a destination with an excellent healthcare system. 

The SLTPB elaborated that a large number of travellers from around the world are eagerly awaiting the recommencement of their tours or have had to put on hold their travel plans until the situation is controlled. (SAA)