Sri Lanka Design Festival 2022 reveals new view of country and its creativity to tourists

SLDF has announced that it is now open for bookings from travel companies looking to provide a fresh experience for tourists, and an itinerary has been curated to benefit travellers with an insightful perspective into Sri Lanka’s creative talent and where the island’s traditional craft heritage meets innovation. 

The success of any travel and tourism industry is very much based on the host country’s ability to provide interesting, fresh, and meaningful experiences to visitors. In light of its current dollar crisis, ensuring that the upcoming peak travel season of December/January is a success is imperative for Sri Lanka. This is why, for the first time in its history surpassing a decade, Sri Lanka Design Festival prepares to present travellers with opportunities to engage with lesser-known aspects of the island with a specially curated program tapping into the country’s young creative talent, potential for innovation and its remarkable mix of high-tech and low-tech production bridging artisanal hand processes, natural raw materials, and craft techniques with contemporary design and technology.

This all new perspective into the unique creative communities, their work and potential is expected to create more interest in Sri Lanka as a destination where travellers can find inspiration and connect with talent and even establish new connections for business. Tourists will have opportunities to shop for high-value products that have been designed and made locally, participate in talks and workshops sharing knowledge on topics such as design and sustainable innovation, etc., and be a part of curated performances, and exhibitions that feature outstanding creativity, while highlighting the creative landscape of Sri Lanka. 

Looking at the panorama of possibilities that Sri Lanka needs to unlock for its economic recovery, the Sri Lanka Design Festival 2022 edition is themed ‘panoramically new, panoramically local, design lokayak’. It presents a broader local design vision with a global perspective that is highly relatable and relevant to tourists visiting Sri Lanka. With the Design Market connecting local makers and creators directly to travel shoppers, and a programme with exciting events, international visitors will be able to access some fascinating perspectives into the past, present and the future of Sri Lanka’s creative culture. 

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka and AOD Graduate Design showcase will also be held as part of Sri Lanka Design Festival, creating more opportunities for travellers to engage with local creativity. Sri Lanka Design Festival will be held at the Colombo Innovation Tower between 2 and 4 December.

For more information for travel and tour companies to make bookings and reserve specially curated tours of the event, please email us on [email protected] and register online at www.srilankadesignfestival.lk.

Sri Lanka Design Festival is presented by AOD, Sri Lanka’s pioneering Design Campus, and will be hosted at the Colombo Innovation Tower (CIT) – 477, R.A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 4. If you’re looking for more information on the festival, or looking to employ creative talent or explore design, drop by CIT between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or call on 077 572 7772.