Private sector acknowledges ‘Tourism Promotions Strategy 2015’

After many consultations and deliberations the Sri Lanka Promotions Strategy-2015 has been approved by the private sector in a land mark publicprivate partnership which herald a new way of working that included a monthly evaluation.

“What we are implementing is a new thinking,” said Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Rohantha Athukorala. In fact this was the first task we embarked on after taking over office three months back on the direction of Minister Naveen Dissanayaka, and it is good to note that we have got written endorsement from the private sector after many consultations.

A point to note is that Sri Lanka’s plans have always been absolutely gold standard but the challenge is on the delivery, said SLTPB Chairman.

The Board representative for The Tourist Hotel Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), Amal Goonetileka who is also the Regional Directorsales for Taj Samudra Hotels said “We are happy to inform that SLTPB has now formulated a broad Strategic Marketing Plan2015 for the destination with the approval of the THASL representatives in the board. This will be reviewed from time-to-time and new initiatives which will be of benefit to the tourism industry will be added where necessary going forward.” SLITO President Mahen Kariyawasam said, “We the industry is also happy to note that we are also consulted in these strategic plans for the development of Sri Lanka Tourism. Let’s work to together to achieve our target of 2.5 million tourists in the years to come.

One of the biggest challenges of the industry is that registered hotel properties are below four hundred but private sector hotel booking companies say that there over

2600 entities operating this space which means the SME sector is quite large. The perennial issue in any industry is the focus on the large enterprises and focus to the SME sector and which one will give the highest incremental business.

Athukorala mentioned that with the increased FIT segment going up to almost 40 percent in some markets, the importance of the digital strategy comes to play. With digital from google to trip advisor every business entity begins to benefit. We must now keep developing in this, he said.