TAAI 2005

Sri Lanka- Riding The Waves

The success story of Sri Lankan tourism can be compared to that of a phoenix. The country bounces back with greater force after adversities, either man made for natural. The tourism minister proudly says that the country has a highly effective crisis management team in place to fight back. Reema Sisodia tries to find out what keeps it above the waves

Sri Lanka could definitely qualify as a subject for a case study in the area of tourism. If terrorism is a world evil and a serious threat to tourism, (which it is) then the face of Sri Lankan tourism should not have been full of enthusiasm and confidence. But the tourism department and the tourism board is positive, both about its product and the ways in which they aim to offer the product to the world. The tourism team from Sri Lanka has always admitted the importance of the Indian market. If one can recollect, their ‘Buy one get one free’ promotional campaign took the Indian market by storm. Arrivals from India, which has traditionally been one of the leading source markets for Sri Lankan tourism, has shown a steady growth over the past few years. Hence, hosting one of the most popular and large Indian travel conventions, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) Convention 2005, is something the country is eagerly looking forward to, as it would help them connect further with the Indian travel trade.

Speaking about the importance about the Indian market, Vasantha Leelananda, president, Sri Lankan Association of Inbound Tour Operators said, “India and Sri Lanka have complimented each other in many ways and used synergies effectively to emerge as destinations with strong tourism potentials. We are hoping to continue the close association and friendship. India has played an important role in the Sri Lanka leisure industry in the past and will continue to play an even greater role in the future.” He also highlighted the fact that Sri Lankan government is extremely serious about its tourism sector and the public private synergy is working well for the country.

Planned Marketing Strategy

Sri Lankan tourism has probably done its homework well and had a well structured and planned marketing strategy that worked in the Indian market. Rajeev Nangia, representative of Sri Lanka Tourism Board in India, expresses the fact that the country’s constant promotional campaign has been successful in changing the perception that Sri Lanka is crisis ridden. The business that has come into Sri Lanka is good enough proof that the promotional and marketing campaigns of Sri Lanka Tourism Board and other allied players have clicked in India. According to him, the most important thing while undertaking destination marketing is to understand the market, establish objectives and then to pave the path to achieve the same. Explaining the nitty-gritty of destination marketing, Nangia elaborates, “Destination marketing entails aggressive promotion of the country and most importantly, dissemination of right information at the right time. The foremost task is to educate the trade and consumers about the USPs of the destination’s tourism facets in order to cultivate interest in the destination. While marketing a destination, one needs to bear in mind that there are enough distribution channels for packages and at the same time, there is a demand to keep the agent’s interest alive.”

He further explains that their primary objective was to make the potential Indian holiday-makers realise that Sri Lanka is not an extension of South India. “After establishing its separate identity, we have stressed on its USPs. That is, it is a one-stop destination, where one can experience the thrill of sun, sand and surf on its pristine beaches, enjoy the pleasure of romantic hill stations and take a journey to the past amongst its rich cultural tapestry, the home to seven world heritage sites. So, while formulating the marketing strategy, our focus is two fold. Our main focus is to attract the consumer by enhancing product knowledge of the destination and increasing awareness. Secondly, we focus on the trade so as to multiply the distribution channels for selling the product,”states Nangia.

Going A Step Ahead

After cementing their place as a potential leisure destination in the Indian market, its now the Board’s turn to concentrate on the business or corporate segment. Soon India will witness a brand new marketing campaign targeting the corporate of India. Says Udaya Nananyakkara , chairman, Sri Lankan Tourism Board, “We are definitely serious on tapping the MICE segment from India. India is a very important country for us and the numbers into Sri Lanka from India are only increasing with time. In 2004, India emerged as Sri Lanka’s second highest tourist generating markets. During the first six months of 2005, India has been the number one generating market and if the current trend continues, it looks more than likely that India will over take traditional markets and become the leading tourist generating market for Sri Lanka.” The Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, set up jointly by the Ministry of Tourism, Sri Lankan Airlines, the management of the Bandarnaike Memorial International Conference Centre and the hotel and travel industry, is going all out to provide professional assistance for meetings and conferences to make Sri Lanka the right choice.

Increased Airline Connectivity

Sri Lanka has yet another aspect going well for itself. Air connectivity between the India and Sri Lanka is at its best, with airlines such as Jet Airways and Air Sahara recently starting flights into Sri Lanka. Hence, over and above the previous air traffic, the newer airlines flying into Sri Lanka has increased tourism traffic. Adds, Nanayakkara, “Our national carrier, Sri Lankan Airline now operates 85 flights a week to India with Hyderabad being the latest destination added on to its network. Indian Airlines has also increased operations and with private airlines such as Air Sahara and Jet Airways operating scheduled flights between India and Sri Lankan, connectivity has been enhanced between our two countries.”

Visa On Arrival

The removal of visa restrictions has also given the country further boost in tourism. 78 countries are accorded visas on arrival and within the South Asian region, Iran and Afghanistan are the only countries that are out of this relaxation. Free conversion of currency is another issue that the Sri Lankan government is considering at the behest of the travel and tourism industry.

Reinventing Itself

Apart from showcasing its regular features such as the beaches and few known regions, it is steadily unfurling other attractions of the island to woo repeat visitors. Says Nanayakkara, “the country has a lot offer. There are adventure trails to explore, wildlife safaris, unbeatable bargains in shopping and delicious food. With regards to India, they also intend to promote Ramayana religious links. Their aim is to market the product to the world as a destination that offers holidays for every age-group and every social segment of consumers. In India, they also plan to target the secondary source markets.”