![\"\"](\"https:\/\/english.lankanewsnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Sri-Lanka.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), the apex body representing the country\u2019s formal hotel sector, today announced the launch of its digital destination campaign titled \u201cTruly Sri Lanka,\u201d marking the first ever industry-driven initiative and a milestone in promoting island\u2019s diverse tourism offerings to emerging markets.<\/p>\n
Representing international and local hotel brands, boutique resorts, wellness retreats, wildlife lodges, and themed properties, THASL plays a pivotal role in Sri Lanka\u2019s tourism industry. Nearly 70% of Sri Lanka\u2019s total tourism workforce is employed in hotels, while the collective investment in land and buildings exceeds USD 15 billion. Hotels also generate the highest earnings within the industry and remain the largest contributors to government revenue through taxes, levies, and fees.<\/p>\n
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 CSR initiatives that often go unnoticed, reinforcing the sector\u2019s deep-rooted commitment to national development.<\/p>\n
THASL President M. Shanthikumar, Director of Ramada by Wyndham, stated that the Association\u2019s decades-long involvement in tourism has given it a clear understanding of the importance of sustained global awareness campaigns. \u201cWe are deeply committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of our industry and preserving the beauty of Sri Lanka for future generations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
While recognizing 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, the Association 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.<\/p>\n
A subcommittee chaired by Eksath Wijerathne, Vice President of THASL and Chief Executive Officer of Browns Hotels and Resorts, 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<\/p>\n
strategy, selecting E Marketing Eye, a professional digital marketing company, to design and roll out the campaign across all key digital platforms including social media.<\/p>\n
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. All inquiries will be directed to the dedicated website \u201cTruly Sri Lanka,\u201d where potential travelers 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 \u201cTruly Sri Lanka\u201d website.<\/p>\n
The campaign is supported by NTB\/Amex as the main partner and sponsor for the next three years, underscoring strong private-sector collaboration for national tourism promotion. THASL remains a non-political organization dedicated to advancing policies that strengthen tourism\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe hotel sector is the backbone of Sri Lanka\u2019s tourism,\u201d Shanthikumar emphasized. He further stated, \u201cWe are deeply grateful for the overwhelming support and contribution of THASL members toward this initiative, as through campaigns like \u2018Truly Sri Lanka,\u2019 we reaffirm our collective commitment to positioning our nation as one of the world\u2019s most desirable destinations.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), the apex body representing the country\u2019s formal hotel sector, today announced the launch of its digital destination campaign titled \u201cTruly Sri Lanka,\u201d marking the first ever industry-driven initiative and a milestone in promoting island\u2019s diverse tourism offerings to emerging markets. Representing international and local hotel brands, boutique resorts, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5205,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"yoast_head":"\n