Private sector propels tourism with first-ever destination drive

The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka President M. Shanthikumar (second from right) addresses the media launch of the private sector-funded Truly Sri Lanka campaign. Vice President Eksath Wijerathne (right), eMarketingEye Founder and CEO Rajitha Dahanayake, and Nations Trust Bank Consumer Banking Executive Vice President Sheahan Daniel (left) are also present – Pic by Shehan Gunasekera

•  The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka in partnership with NTB AMEX launches maiden industry-funded and curated digital marketing campaign
• Collaborative effort initially targets six Gulf and Southeast Asia emerging countries considered having high potential round-the-year arrivals
• Campaign to be conducted in phases of three months and will be expanded to cover other source markets over three years
• Kickoff powered by over 60 hotels participating; more industry stakeholders expected to join
• Crucial move comes amidst frustration over delay in broader global marketing initiative by State agencies
• Industry admits earnings have failed to match rise in tourist arrivals

By Nisthar Cassim

Sri Lanka’s private sector has come forward to propel the country’s first-ever and self-funded and curated destination marketing campaign to boost tourist arrivals amidst frustration over the delay in initiatives by State agencies.

Named ‘Truly Sri Lanka,’ the digital destination campaign is being championed by The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), the apex body representing the country’s formal hotel sector, and its members, in partnership with Nations Trust Bank American Express (NTB AMEX).

THASL President M. Shanthikumar described the private sector initiative as a milestone in promoting Sri Lanka’s diverse tourism offerings to emerging markets.

Initially targeting emerging markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman) and East Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore), the campaign will run for three months and continue periodically over the next three years, encompassing other attractive markets. 

These six countries collectively have generated nearly 44,000 tourists in the first nine months of this year with Malaysia generating a high of 17,471 tourists, Singapore 10,817 tourists and Oman a low of 2,103 tourists. However nationals of these countries travel in large numbers to competing destinations.

All inquiries will be directed to the dedicated website ‘Truly Sri Lanka,’ where potential travellers can explore partner hotels, access direct links to official websites, and make bookings seamlessly. Members who contributed to this campaign will have direct access to the ‘Truly Sri Lanka’ website. At present, over 60 members of THASL have invested in the initiative, whilst NTB AMEX has committed to support the initiative for three years.

The campaign, curated by industry specialist eMarketingEye, will be expanded to cover other markets.

Shanthikumar said representing international and local hotel brands, boutique resorts, wellness retreats, wildlife lodges, and themed properties, THASL plays a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. Nearly 70% of Sri Lanka’s total tourism workforce is employed in hotels, while the collective investment in land and buildings exceeds $ 15 billion. Hotels also generate the highest earnings within the industry and remain the largest contributors to Government revenue through taxes, levies, and fees.

In addition to their economic contribution, hotels across Sri Lanka play a vital role in uplifting local communities through indirect and induced impact, creating employment opportunities and supporting small-scale suppliers such as farmers, fishermen, and artisans. Many THASL members also carry out meaningful Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives that often go unnoticed, reinforcing the sector’s deep-rooted commitment to national development.

“THASL’s decades-long involvement in tourism has given it a clear understanding of the importance of sustained global awareness campaigns. We are deeply committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of our industry and preserving the beauty of Sri Lanka for future generations,” Shanthikumar added.

While recognising that such campaigns may not yield immediate returns, THASL believes they are crucial for maintaining momentum amid changing global dynamics.

With tourist arrivals increasing but cumulative earnings showing a visible decline by August 2025, Shanthikumar said THASL saw an urgent need to reposition Sri Lanka before further economic downturns in tourism earnings could occur, as well as to complement and give impetus to the forthcoming integrated destination campaign planned by the authorities.

“THASL remains a non-political organisation dedicated to advancing policies that strengthen tourism’s sustainability and competitiveness. The Association will continue lobbying the Government for policy and regulatory reforms and for expediting integrated promotional initiatives that benefit the industry as a whole,” Shanthikumar said. “We are deeply grateful for the overwhelming support and contribution of THASL members toward this initiative, as through campaigns like ‘Truly Sri Lanka,’ we reaffirm our collective commitment to positioning our nation as one of the world’s most desirable destinations.”

Impacted by successive changes in Governments and officials, the broader tourism industry has been waiting for years for Sri Lanka Tourism to kick off a proper global destination campaign. There was hope for quicker decision making under the new National People’s Party (NPP) administration, but the industry hadn’t seen the desired progress. 

A subcommittee chaired by THASL Vice President Eksath Wijerathne, who is the Browns Hotels & Resorts CEO, spearheaded the development of the campaign within just three months. Given the rising costs and effectiveness of digital outreach, THASL opted for a digital-first strategy, selecting eMarketingEye, a professional digital marketing company, to design and roll out the campaign across all key digital platforms, including social media.

Wijerathne said year-to-date, tourist arrivals were at 1.7 million, whilst Sri Lanka’s target for 2025 was 3 million tourists. “Via the private sector digital marketing campaign, we are making an effort to enhance awareness and trigger prospective visitors, thereby getting closer to the target,” he added.

eMarketingEye Founder and CEO Rajitha Dahanayake described the campaign as “truly need of the hour” and  said it will boost the “value proposition” Sri Lanka offers to tourists.

NTB PLC Consumer Banking Executive Vice President Sheahan Daniel said NTB AMEX support underscores strong private sector collaboration for national tourism promotion. He also said NTB over a year ago separately managed to secure a placement for Sri Lanka destination promotion in the global AMEX website, which too was a big boost. 

Sri Lanka welcomed 1.73 million tourists in the first nine months of 2025, marking a 16.2% increase from the previous year’s cumulative total for the same period. On the other hand, earnings from tourism amounted to $ 2.47 billion, up by only 5%. The goal by 2030 is 5 million tourist arrivals and $ 10 billion in earnings.