Ministry of Tourism Sri Lanka is set to submit a Cabinet paper next week seeking approval for a Rs. 5 billion tourism promotion campaign.
Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Buddhika Hewawasam, said the campaign will target 12 foreign markets. He noted that the Cabinet paper will be presented following discussions with relevant stakeholders, while the tender process is expected to be finalized by the end of the first quarter.
Hewawasam explained that a monitoring unit appointed by the World Bank will oversee the campaign, and recruitment of key experts to analyze and monitor the tender process is currently underway.
Meanwhile, internal approval has been granted to conduct interim promotions in the same markets through digital platforms and public relations campaigns at a cost of Rs. 1.5 billion. He said steps are being taken to appoint digital and PR agencies from the respective markets.
A continuous digital campaign is already underway in key regions including Europe, China, India, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand.
The Chairman also announced that roadshows will be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from March, along with consumer promotion programmes in West Asia.
Several new tourism segments, including religious and spiritual tourism, are also being introduced. Under this initiative, tours will be organized to attract pilgrims to the Ramayana Trail and Shiva temples, with Hewawasam noting that direct engagement is ongoing with several ashrams in India.
In addition, a Buddhist Trail Tour in collaboration with Thai tour operators, targeting tourists travelling directly to Sri Lanka, is scheduled to be launched in March.
Sri Lanka already receives pilgrims through both the Buddhist and Ramayana trails, and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority aims to significantly increase these arrivals through the upcoming promotional campaigns.
