Tourism industry protests to PM on CNN campaign
Sri Lanka’s most powerful tourism industry bodies have raised serious concerns with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe over irregularities in the planned CNN media blitz by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB).
The Business Times reliably learnt that the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) and the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), on the other hand, jointly asked the PM to accelerate the process of implementing the digital marketing campaign and the global promotion campaign and not permit an advertising campaign promoting Sri Lanka Tourism on the CNN news media channel.
According to SLTPB sources, it was found out that the SLTPB Managing Director late last year in October had consulted the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) on implementing the CNN advertising campaign without informing the board on the procurement procedure, rates agreed on and conditions entered into or even details of the payments.
The industry also pointed out that CNN is not a favourable tool to attract viewers from Germany, France, the UK, India and China.
Tourism Development Minister John Amaratunga had proposed this idea of carrying out a CNN advertising campaign, despite opposition from the industry in the past. He went on to get it approved from the Cabinet Committee of Economic Management (CCEM) which is learnt to have not been fully informed of the dealings of the CNN campaign.
The industry has pointed out to Mr. Wickremesinghe that the country urgently needs a promotional campaign which has been delayed by about four years now.
They also noted that due to this adverse situation without a proper destination branding the industry was feeling the pinch as it was hurting the revenues in addition to the fact that some hotels were offering rates lower than it was during the war time.
In this respect, they have reiterated the government to fast track the digital marketing campaign and the global promotion campaign without incurring expenses on a CNN advertising campaign.
The industry has also briefed Minister Amaratunga, SLTPB Acting Chairman and Tourism Ministry Secretary Esala Weerakoon, PM’s Senior Advisor Charitha Ratwatte and National Policies and Economic Affairs Ministry Advisor R. Paskaralingam on these developments.