Top international bloggers tour less known destinations in SL
A group of internationally-renowned bloggers arrived in the country last week for a special ten-day tour of less known destinations throughout the island on the invitation of Sri Lanka Tourism authorities.
Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) as part of its series of lucrative destination promotion exercises has organised the familiarization programme targeting a bunch of less known yet very picturesque and adventurous tourist attractions around the country.
These internationally-renowned travel bloggers and vloggers representing six countries will be taken on a ten-day tour to the selected destinations for them to get familiarize with the places and to give due promotion through their social media platforms like the Facebook, Instagram, You Tube and etc.
SLTPB officials led by its Chairman Dehan Seneviratne welcomed the foreign visitors at a special dinner hosted by the Hotel Movenpick at its roof top bar and restaurant prior to the commencement of the countrywide tour.
The SLTPB Chairman addressing the dinner gathering said that they were glad to have welcomed a group of top ranking travel bloggers /vloggers in Sri Lanka to promote its lesser known destinations around the world, which in turn would attract more and more foreign tourists that will ultimately boost the country’s tourism sector as well as the economy.
SLTPB Director Public Relations Dushan Wickramasuriya stressed the 11 travel writers have participated at the programme representing the countries of Australia, Norway, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Philippines.
He said the main focus area of promotion of this programme is lesser known, nature, adventure, lifestyle and active tourism products. He said even locals were not familiar with these spots as those were still hardly visited by many.
The 10-day programme has been organised from October 18th to 28th to cover the areas of Colombo City, Anuradhapura (via Wilpattu), Dambulla (Habarana), Riverston, Kandy /Hanthana, Ella (via Dahatawanguwa), Wellawaya, Belihuloya and Negombo.
“We strongly believe that this will benefit the Sri Lankan Tourism industry to gain extended exposure within popular social media platforms as an attractive holiday destination,” SLTPB Assistant Director Public Relations Chaminda Munasinghe said.
Manager PR and Communications Movenpick Hotel Nadia Issadeen said that they were glad to be part of this event as it will give great exposure to the country’s tourism industry and its lesser known destinations internationally.
The 11 bloggers /vloggers are Louie Patrice Averilla Abalon (Philippines), Mark Harrison and Valentyn Syenin (Canada), Jorden Tually and Joshua Lynott (Australia), Karoline Fosse, Kim Soerensen and Martin Solhaugen (Norway), Craig Campbell and Sarah Dartnall (New Zealand) and Jeanine Amapola (USA).