Rs. 3.5 m investment to woo more Gulf travellers
The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) and SriLankan Airlines
will invest Rs. 3.5 million to initiate an integrated marketing campaign
in the Gulf to woo more travellers from June 1 to August 31.
Managing Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Dileep
Mudadeniya, said that there is an increase of Gulf travellers to Asia
and Sri Lanka too wants to tap this market.
The Gulf market to Sri Lanka has been growing and it recorded an 80.6
per cent increase in the first quarter of 2008 compared to the previous
year,” he said.
Under this promotion leading hotels and resorts in Sri Lanka will
extend a value added benefit for Middle East travellers by offering a
free stay for one child (below 12 years) per paying adult sharing the
parent’s room as an industry standard during the summer months.
“We are pleased to unveil this family-friendly package for the summer
season to encourage more Middle East visitors to our destination,” said
Deputy Minister of Tourism Faiszer Mustapha.
The Deputy Minister said that competition in the travel industry was
intense. “It is vital to understand the needs of our travel origin
markets and formulate programs to capitalise on opportunities and gain a
market share and Sri Lanka with this family-package and value added
services is well positioned to capture a fair share of the market,” he
said.
SriLankan Holidays’ General Manager, Amith Sumanapala said, “We have
tied up with three trade partners namely Connaissance De Ceylan, Jetwing
Travels and Walkers Tours to give holidaymakers a world of memories.”
In this latest initiative to promote tourism to Sri Lanka, SriLankan
Holidays will give away a free holiday package for each child under 12
accompanying an adult who has purchased a special SriLankan Holidays
package to the tropical island between June and August.
SriLankan Airlines Regional Manager of the Commercial Department,
Mohamed Fazeel said, “We are confident that this new family package will
encourage both Arab and expat travellers from the region to experience
destination Sri Lanka and is in line with our strategy to increase our
leisure travel focus, catering to Arab nationals as well as Western and
Asian expatriates,” he said. |