Sri Lanka Tourism has improved over the years, but never ceased
its true potential.
Sri Lanka is now featured on a travel magazine, article, blog,
and vlog as the destination to be at.
I would suggest some improvements I think Sri Lanka tourism
should do.
It should be briefed to the hoteliers & travel agents that
it is not their product that should be marketed but Sri Lanka as a destination,
simple logic should be shown the first step should be convincing a traveler to
come to Sri Lanka then the rest of the thought process of travel agent and
hotels shall follow.
Secondly, Hotels in a singular area, for example, Ella or
Ratnapura should take initiation along with the Tourist Board to promote the
City. Sri Lanka does not exist of Colombo, Galle, Kandy and Nuwaraeliya other
cities should be promoted, including why they should travel to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is not a cheap destination, never should be marketed
as one. Sri Lankan hoteliers, agents and tourist board to sell the experiences
of Sri Lanka more neatly and more professional. Sri Lanka is not only a country
for Kandy temple, Sigiriya and to be guided to a tea plantation. Sri Lanka is
made of rich culture, a wide variety of species.
Ayurveda, meditation, and spas the wellness holiday theme is
greatly marketed around the world, we should take initiation for all who
graduate as an Ayurveda Doctor should be recruited to the hospitality trade to
shape this new trend in the world.
If you have notices yoga is very booming in Sri Lanka, mainly
not done nor taught by Sri Lankan's hence to promote this among Sri Lankan youth
they should be shown there are many career paths within this trade to be
learned and earned from.
We should learn to market Sri Lanka to Michelin Chefs to
showcase their meals, we should put initiative to help bring down marine
biologists from all over the world, we are not only famous for monkeys let the
world see we have more animals invite zoologists to come and write about us,
let historians come and see our culture and make documentaries.
Make the national parks, museums and historical sites more than
here is a famous rock see this rock.
Make it more organized everywhere in the world it is not about
pointing at a historic icon and saying why it is open. All these location
museums, castles everything should be interactive with the clients where they
engage with the culture and participate in depicting this great tale of Sri
Lanka that they are experiencing.
I am stressing this time we break the barrier and bring tourism
over the top.
The world seems to be talking about us, but we don’t seem to be.
What last time a hotel promoted Sri Lanka and not the Jacuzzi in their room,
what was last time an agent educated new markets about Sri Lanka, but not told
how they can undercut their competitor by five dollars?
Sri Lanka pricing should maintain a standard that is worth it.
We should improve our service along with it, train staff in the Tourist Board,
Hotel School and Hoteliers from outsiders. I have seen the skill of Sri Lankan's in the hospitality trade in other countries because they are motivated, engaged
and trained to push the envelope to grow themselves in the trade. Let them see
the world what new things are out there and how we can incorporate them into
our cycle of things.
Teach the hospitality industry next time they talk to a vendor
sell Sri Lanka, not their property or company.
Teach Hoteliers are not here for the market share, the day
comparison hotels share their information with each other they can improve
together as they are already in comparison with each other.
Teach agents it is not selling the package ten dollars less,
it’s about selling authentic Sri Lanka to the world show we are a lot more and
we have much more to give.
These are tiny ideas we should hyper think about, we have a
great opportunity where Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor and every other article
is featuring. We now should create a return on investment.
Cheers!
LISWITH
