Sri Lanka branding campaign in Europe kicks off next month
Sri Lanka Tourism is currently working on its advertising campaign in Europe in three key markets next month while plans were also on for promotions in India and Russia after concluding China.
Spending over Rs.1 billion for the promotions this year up from last year’s Rs.800 million, Sri Lanka would be continuing its focused campaigns into India, China and Russia, an advertising campaign and other travel fairs and industry promotions as well, state tourism officials said.
The advertising campaign is set to kick off in August in the UK, Germany and France and is currently at the evaluation stage.
In respect of these campaigns the Sri Lankan missions in these countries have called for international tenders in a bid to ensure these promotions would be given to different companies to implement it.
The Sri Lanka branding advertisements would be displayed on buses and taxis in the three countries but figures on these promotions were still at an evaluation stage.
The campaigns would be carried out through the representation of the overseas missions and no Sri Lankan representative from Sri Lanka Tourism would participate at these promotions, officials said.
Currently discussions are underway to ascertain which cities could be tapped for the promotions with Sri Lanka Tourism looking at London, Manchester and Liverpool in the UK, and destinations like Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Berlin in Germany. But in France the target would be solely for promotions in Paris alone.
In addition, Sri Lanka Tourism would be looking at doing a promotion in Delhi, India as well this year having already concluded a successful China campaign in Shanghai. A promotion is also scheduled for Russia.
Sri Lanka is currently targeting 1.5 million tourist arrivals to the country this year and these promotions were expected to bring in the expected figures.