Cabinet nod likely this week for Rs.1bn tourism PR and ad campaign

The Cabinet of Ministers is likely to award a billion rupee PR and advertising campaign to selected global agencies this week, in order to revive the country’s tourism sector image in the aftermath of Easter Sunday attacks. 

Sri Lanka Tourism chief Kishu Gomes said the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) has selected two agencies to carry out the campaign as the normal tender procedure to select agencies would have required six months to award the tenders.

According to industry sources, J. Walter Thompson (JWT) has been selected to implement the PR campaign for 1.5 month with an investment of Rs.464 million.

The remainder would be invested in a six-month advertising campaign to promote the country’s tourism brand, which would be followed by a two to three-year global promotional campaign. 

“We will get this global firm to get the ball rolling immediately. Two months into their term, we will go for a global tender for a two to three-year promotional campaign,” Gomes said.
Gomes expects to complete the tender process in four months allowing the global promotional campaign to kick off in the immediate aftermath of the six month advertising campaign. 
Meanwhile, SLTPB has decided to postpone the previously planned promotional campaign on CNN, which was submitted to the Cabinet last month.