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Rediscovering Sri Lanka
By Smriti Daniel
"We were damaged but not destroyed; we tripped but we're not out of the running; we were hurt, but not crippled." These are the messages Sri Lanka's tourist industry is broadcasting to the world, with three of the biggest names in the industry pooling their resources and speaking as one.

SriLankan Airlines, Sri Lanka Tourism and the Tourism Cluster have united behind the banner of the campaign titled 'Rediscover Sri Lanka'. Budgeted at US$ 4.1 million, this three and a half month campaign aims to help Sri Lanka make its presence felt in the global tourism market.

"This is a stepping stone to a greater tourism drive," explained Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Udaya Nanayakkara, adding that numerous tourists have visited the country in the last four months despite all the negative publicity that exaggerated the extent of the damage caused by the tsunami.

SriLankan Airlines CEO Peter Hill said the tourist industry is bouncing back far more quickly than anyone could have hoped for. "What was predicted for the winter, is starting to happen in the summer," he said.

"We are sending a very strong message to the world," said Mr. Hill adding that as far as the travelling public were concerned "Sri Lanka is now back on the map".

SriLankan Airlines Manager, Advertising, Priya Epitawela unveiled the 'Rediscover Sri Lanka' campaign to "regain our lost market share". The campaign is built around the words "Sri Lanka thanks the world for caring and in return invites you over". It comprises TV ads, print ads and banners on the internet, with commercials airing on pan-regional television in Europe, the Middle East, Far East and South Asia. Localised advertisements are to be published in the United Kingdom, Germany and France, where the majority of the campaign's target audience resides.

The funding for the campaign comes initially from SriLankan Airlines, which will contribute US$ 2.1 million, with the balance from Sri Lanka Tourism and the Tourism Cluster. USAID, which supports the Tourism Cluster has pledged US$ 3 million for Sri Lanka's tourism recovery efforts, of which US$ 1 million will go towards the 'Rediscover Sri Lanka' campaign.

The campaign's first phase ends in June and the second is due to be launched in August. The tourism industry intends to use this opportunity to reposition itself globally, to attract more high-end tourists. The target for 2005 is US$ 84 per tourist, per day. "Our goal is to have 1 million tourists annually by 2010," says Mr. Nanayakkara.

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