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Thursday Dec 12, 2024
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Tourism Minister Harin Fernando (fourth from left) takes a selfie with “Save the Sri Lankan smile” in the backdrop at its launch on Tuesday at Ramada Colombo. Campaign’s brainchild NKAR Travels and Tours Chairman Nilmin Nanayakkara (third from left) and heads of tourism related State agencies and industry bodies are also present – Pic by Upul Abayasekara
NKAR Travels and Tours Ltd. on Tuesday unveiled an appealing “Save the Sri Lankan smile” global campaign to reignite the tourism industry impacted by a hat trick of crisis starting from 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, COVID-19 pandemic and shortage of foreign exchange and essentials.
Created and launched by the NKAR team, being white label campaign, it allows anyone to use the material following specific guidelines and promote it with individual branding via different platforms.
NKAR Chairman and industry veteran Nilmin Nanayakkara who conceptualised the vision and strategy of the new campaign said the initiative will inspire the travel and tourism industry to draw fresh vitality as well as appeal from would-be visitors thereby a quicker revival. “This campaign belongs to the entire industry,” he said.
“Battered by multiple crises, all stakeholders of the tourism industry are struggling to smile. However, I must say we haven’t lost it (smile) being a resilient industry and nation. Our initiative is one small effort to look at ways to hold on to the Sri Lankan smile which has captivated millions of tourists over the years,” Nanayakkara said at the launch of the campaign attended by Tourism Minister Harin Fernando, heads of State agencies and industry associations.
“We firmly believe this is the best and most united way the industry could take ownership and work together for their own recovery thereby the country’s as well,” Nanayakkara added.
He said that NKAR will support the campaign for four months with weekly campaign content made available to interested stakeholders.
Save the Sri Lankan smile will be enriched by its own Instagram, Facebook page, YouTube channel and website. The initiative hopes to target over 4 million Sri Lankans living overseas. NKAR said it will draw public and professional engagement via a host of initiatives including competitions involving social media.
Minister Fernando commended the N-KAR’s pioneering and proactive initiative to lift the spirit of the tourism industry.
“Smile is a universal language. The campaign goes well with what Sri Lanka is all about. I strongly believe much can be done with initiative,” said the Minister who revealed that all printed collateral of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lanka Promotions Bureau, Sri Lanka Conventions Bureau will have the new logo “Save the Sri Lankan smile”.
He said that the campaign will be extensively used at the World Travel Mart in London in November.
“We are a resilient nation and we don’t give up. The greater use of this campaign will have the desired impact,” said Fernando, who also recalled how his political campaign “Sir Fail” targeting the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa triggered a landmark change.
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Chairman Priantha Fernando, Sri Lanka Promotions Bureau Chairman Chalaka Gajabahu, Sri Lanka Conventions Bureau Chairman Thisum Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management Chairman Shirantha Peiris, The Hotels Association President M. Shanthikumar, Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators President Nishad Wijethunga, Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka President Sabry Bahudeen and representatives of SriLankan Airlines were also present at the launch.
