The government of Sri Lanka plans to fast-track a Rs. 1 billion international promotional campaign to counter the decline in tourist arrivals linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Deputy Minister of Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe said a major digital and public relations campaign targeting the Australia market is currently being finalized.
According to the Deputy Minister, the evaluation process for the Australian campaign is expected to conclude within approximately two weeks.
He further stated that similar tourism promotion campaigns are also being carried out in key markets including India, China, Spain, the United Kingdom, and other European countries.
However, Ranasinghe noted that approval from the National Procurement Commission Sri Lanka is still pending to reduce the bidding period from 45 days to 15 days in order to accelerate the campaign rollout.
Meanwhile, Parliament recently approved a proposal to grant free visas to nationals of 40 countries.
According to the Deputy Minister, the visa-free arrangement will initially remain valid for one year and will be reviewed after six months.
He stated that while the measure is expected to cost the Treasury around US$45 million annually, authorities expect to generate approximately US$317 million through a projected 10% increase in tourist arrivals.
Ranasinghe also revealed that Sri Lanka has already suffered an estimated revenue loss of US$50–55 million due to a reported 20% drop in tourist arrivals linked to the regional conflict.
