SL to launch global campaign to draw tourists

17 February 2021 07:05 am - 20 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Sri Lanka is to launch a global campaign to draw tourists to the country after the coronavirus took a serious hit on the industry.

Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has appointed a high-level committee to steer the entire process.

The ‘High-powered Steering Committee for Strategic Management of Global Promotional Campaign’ includes stakeholders from the tourism industry.

Sources said that the Minister has informed his Secretary to inform the members of the committee on their appointment.

Ranatunga said in a letter to his Secretary, seen by Daily Mirror, that he hopes to chair the inaugural meeting of the committee once all formalities are completed.

Tourism Ministry Secretary S. Hettiarachchi has informed the committee on their appointment, noting that they will be tasked with ensuring a successful global campaign to promote Sri Lanka Tourism.

The new committee will plan, execute and monitor every aspect related to the global campaign.

The committee includes the Chairman of the Tourism Advisory Committee Hiran Cooray, Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) President Thilak Weerasinghe, The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) President Sanath Ukwatta, Srilankan Airlines General Manager Marketing Saminda Perera, Tourism Advisory Committee member Rajitha Dahanayake,and the Minister’s Representative Nimesh Herath.

Sri Lanka has already opened its borders for tourists and a number of airlines have shown interest in operating to the country.(EASWARAN RUTNAM)

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Comments - 20

Chux Wednesday, 17 February 2021 07:14 AM

With the present guidelines and present chairman of Sri Lanka tourism is is impossible???

Jude Wednesday, 17 February 2021 07:20 AM

Should be able attract MORE tourists as MOST tourists HAVE no place to go!! Yeah!!

No-Vid Wednesday, 17 February 2021 07:25 AM

Very good plan to draw viruses also!!!

Yehiya Wednesday, 17 February 2021 08:59 AM

Thanking to new virus

janaka Wednesday, 17 February 2021 09:12 AM

Inviting for more trouble and risking our own people. They will not learn the lesson. why don't you bring down our own people and make them 7 Days Quarantine all will be happy to return and see there families.

nad Wednesday, 17 February 2021 09:21 AM

But most countries not allowed people to leave their countries . For them softy first!

Nandasena Gopallawa Wednesday, 17 February 2021 10:45 AM

Bring more and more from Ukraine without any PCR, or quarantine, and let us have valentine!

Joshua Wednesday, 17 February 2021 11:06 AM

THASL will take the begging bowl to the Government no sooner the tourist visits reduce. It is their biggest job.

Jeeves Wednesday, 17 February 2021 11:26 AM

If deadly variants are brought here by tourists, we will be blacklisted by other countries, and it will be " BYE BYE TOURIST INDUSTRY!"

Randy Wednesday, 17 February 2021 11:50 AM

That is nice, well done your efforts to attract more COVID-19 infected persons are great.

Jayapala Sethunga Wednesday, 17 February 2021 12:08 PM

We need Weeratunga as the Tourist Minister to boost the tourism in SL. Appoint him asap to the cabinet.

saras Wednesday, 17 February 2021 12:13 PM

Come or Go Chicago - what we need is money for you to develop the country and don't woory avout te spread of virus.

German Wednesday, 17 February 2021 01:12 PM

Is this tourism minister aware of what is going on in the world? Here in Europe we even are not allowed to travel to our neighbour countries. Does he know at all there is pandemy?

Lion Wednesday, 17 February 2021 01:30 PM

This man is off of his head.Sensible man never talks like this.

G abe Wednesday, 17 February 2021 01:40 PM

Maybe theyr want to reduce our population, seems obvious what will happen, we will keep getting variants in our country, south African variant now found in uk Denmark and us, astrazeneca vaccine 10% effective against it, but hey guess the tourism stake holders profits r more important than lives

w prince janak Wednesday, 17 February 2021 01:44 PM

we will inform to our subordinate not to go srilanka because their people got stranded middle east. there is no proper repatriation procedure. only media drama.

Graham Edmondson Wednesday, 17 February 2021 06:48 PM

Hopefully Sri Lanka will look into creating a vaccine passport which will allow tourists to return if they can prove that they have been vaccinated against covid19. Early data suggests that vaccines massively reduce the transmission of the virus, this is drawn from the over 80s group in UK care homes who were the first to recieve the vaccine. I have booked to come to Sri Lanka for all of December 2021 from UK.. If things are still problematical by the beginning of November I will have no hesitation in cancelling. The problem with the current tourist regime is that I would be banned from seeing friends I made on previous visits. I would be forced to pay the rip off tourist prices at attractions which I would normally not visit. Hopefully 10 months will be long enough for things to settle down and get back to normal I miss Sri Lanka, one of my favourite places in the world.

Silva Wednesday, 17 February 2021 07:08 PM

this will result in cordon off all beaches for locals like they did in Bentota. The Ukrainiens were jumping around, the army blocked all Sri Lankans from visiting the beach. The tourists can only go to the big hotels with Level 1 approval and the small restaurants, shops, guest houses, Villa's etc. are dying. The shareholders of the big hotels are making some money, the rest get only restrictions, nothing else. Nice plan.

Appuhamy Wednesday, 17 February 2021 08:06 PM

SL to launch global campaign to draw the new varients.

Sambo Thursday, 18 February 2021 07:59 AM

Mr. Minister, Sri Lanka tourism has failed mainly due to the high room rates with less facilities compared to other countries, bad service, hotels not up to stated standard and bad decisions taken by subsequent governments in taxing the the guests.

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SL to launch global campaign to draw tourists

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