Friday Aug 29, 2025
Friday Aug 29, 2025
Wednesday, 27 August 2025 00:22 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Charumini de Silva
Sri Lanka’s long-awaited nation branding and global marketing campaign has been delayed again, with fresh tenders now being called just months before the critical winter tourist season.
Deputy Tourism Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe said the National Procurement Commission has directed new bids, a process expected to take three to four months. “We are now in the process of calling for fresh tenders and the process will likely take about three to four months. Roadshows and promotions will continue in the interim,” he told the Daily FT.
Prof. Ranasinghe admitted that agreements signed with global marketing agencies in 2024 remain “largely underutilised.”
He reiterated that launching a nation brand without resolving foundational issues would undermine long-term objectives, stressing that Sri Lanka must move away from ad-hoc efforts lacking strategic cohesion.
The move follows the scrapping of earlier tenders, leaving agreements signed with global marketing agencies in 2024 “largely underutilised,” while the “expert committee” promised in June to steer the initiative is yet to be appointed nearly three months later (https://www.ft.lk/top-story/Nation-Branding-boost-for-tourism-unlikely-amid-procedural-delays/26-778005).
“We have had multiple discussions regarding the expert committee and it will be done soon,” Prof. Ranasinghe said.
Similarly, the much-publicised free-visa scheme for 40 countries also remains in limbo. “The visa-free proposal requires Parliamentary approval as the Treasury will forgo an annual income of around $ 66 million,” he added.
On 25 July, Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath said once the relevant Gazette notification is issued, a total of 47 countries will be able to visit Sri Lanka (https://www.ft.lk/front-page/Cabinet-nod-to-rollout-free-visa-policy-for-40-more-countries-Vijitha/44-779517).
However, industry stakeholders argue that the prolonged indecision and implementation delays are already damaging Sri Lanka’s image.
“Announcing first, the plan later appears to be a new hallmark of the Government’s tourism strategy,” they claimed.
They said such delays are crippling Sri Lanka’s competitiveness. “October to March is our peak season. Bookings start as early as August, and yet an entire year has been wasted without a proper campaign. Now, we are scrambling at the last minute. There is no way we can realistically hit 3 million arrivals or $ 5 billion in revenue this year,” one senior hotelier warned.
Stakeholders stressed that ad-hoc promotions and trade show appearances cannot substitute a cohesive global campaign.
They pointed out that international accolades, such as Sri Lanka being ranked among the world’s top islands, have gone unleveraged. “Other destinations use such recognition to build visibility. We’ve done nothing. These are wasted opportunities,” a tour operator lamented.
The private sector was also critical of the Government’s priorities. They argued that amending the outdated Tourism Act has been sidelined in favour of piecemeal initiatives. “Without a robust, well-funded strategy, roadshows and trade fairs amount to scattered efforts in a fiercely competitive global tourism market,” they said.
The latest numbers released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) highlight the challenge ahead. Sri Lanka has welcomed 146,755 tourists in the first 20 days of August, pushing total arrivals for 2025 to over 1.51 million. To reach the 3 million target, over 1.48 million more visitors are needed in just four months, a near-impossible task without a major push in key source markets.
For many in the sector, the concern extends beyond missing annual targets. “Every delay sends a signal to the market that Sri Lanka is not ready. If we don’t get our act together now, we risk losing more than just one season—we risk losing our place in the game,” industry stakeholders cautioned.
