Financial Times

Sri Lanka Tourism securing ME markets

By Sanath Weerasuriya in Dubai

The opening ceremony

Sri Lanka Tourism used the Gulf's biggest Travel Trade Exhibition, Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) 2009 as the platform to boost the country's post - conflict image in tourism promotion in the Middle Eastern region.

Nearly 70 state and private sector participants represented Sri Lanka at this annual Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) from May 5 to 8 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. ATM is the largest annual trade and consumer travel show in the Gulf region, which provides individual travel organizations and hospitality providers the opportunity to meet with travel trade from the entire Pan-Arab region and the wider audience from around the globe.

Sri Lankan Tourism joined hands with national carrier SriLankan Airlines to promote Sri Lanka as a safe destination at the ATM this year. According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), this year's contingent was the largest ever from Sri Lanka.

As the conflict with the LTTE is rapidly nearing its end, SLTPB grabbed the opportunity here to launch a full scale promotional drive in the Middle East.

Sri Lanka Tourism also announced plans to launch its new brand 'Small Miracle' globally and locally in June with a local activation campaign formulated in order to revamp and reposition the country in the world tourism market. This will replace the current tagline 'Sri Lanka, Land like No Other.'

"The re-branding of Sri Lanka could not come at a better time," said Dileep Mudadeniya, SLTPB Managing Director.


 
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> Sri Lanka Tourism securing ME markets

 

 
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