Sri Lanka is poised for a potential tourism boom, and industry leaders are advocating for a singular, unified approach to attract more visitors while preserving the country’s unique cultural offerings. Speaking at the inaugural South Asian Tourism Leadership Forum, held as part of the Colombo Design Festival at Cinnamon Life, leaders from across the tourism sector emphasized that Sri Lanka could double, or even triple, its current tourist arrivals in the coming years.
Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts CEO Mikael Svensson highlighted that a focused marketing approach is key to realizing this potential. He explained, “One of our strengths is that we offer something for everyone. Our competition is with regional players that have similar offerings. With all the wonderful things we have, we need a targeted approach—targeted marketing that identifies the one or two elements in Sri Lanka offering the highest appeal to draw people in, and then everything else will follow. A singular approach will bring in the largest crowd, and we can piggyback on that.”
Despite numerous tourism campaigns and slogans launched over the years, Svensson pointed out that none have had a lasting impact. He stressed the importance of a clear, unified strategy supported by both the private and public sectors.
Resplendent Ceylon Managing Director Malik Fernando also voiced concerns about the current state of marketing efforts, calling it “pathetic.” He noted that while Sri Lanka boasts an exceptional product, poor marketing has positioned the country as a price taker in the global market. “If we had increased demand through positioning and campaigns— even a fraction of what India has invested in infrastructure and hotels would follow, and investment would come,” he said.
Fernando added that a well-structured, multi-year tourism plan is essential to ensure sustainable growth, emphasizing that Sri Lanka could easily double or triple its tourist arrivals with the right marketing and management strategies. He further suggested that key sites like Sigiriya and Yala need better crowd management to enhance the visitor experience.
Svensson also warned of the risks associated with a surge in tourist arrivals, particularly the temptation to alter Sri Lanka’s authentic cultural offerings in favor of more tourist-friendly versions. “The greatest challenge is preserving our authentic identity,” he said. He cited Vietnam’s growth in tourist arrivals as an example, noting that Sri Lanka could achieve similar growth without sacrificing its unique cultural heritage.
The leaders concluded that with a focused, multi-year plan, Sri Lanka can see significant growth in tourism while ensuring the long-term preservation of its cultural identity and sustainability in the sector.