After a long publicity campaign and training, the Sri Lanka Tourism Board appointed Kimarli Fernando as their new Tourism Chairperson. He is the former CEO of the Colombo Hotel Bureau, which is an agency under the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism that caters to hotels in Sri Lanka. Kimarli will be replacing Sajith Premadasa who resigned from his position as Tourism Chairperson on March 31st. Fernando has been quoted saying “Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful countries in Asia, however tourism here has not seen its full potential due to various challenges. I am confident that with our adjusted marketing strategy, we can achieve tremendous growth in tourism” It will be interesting to see how this change will influence the industry and the country’s reputation as a tourist destination.
What are the biggest challenges faced by Sri Lanka Tourism?
Tourism in Sri Lanka is currently experiencing a growth phase, having rebounded from a low-point in 2015. Most of the growth is driven by domestic tourism, where inbound arrivals have increased by 6% over the last year. However, Sri Lanka has been experiencing a lower growth rate in international arrivals compared to other Asian destinations. The industry faces a number of challenges, with the most significant being the aging tourism infrastructure, low to moderate growth in Sri Lankan travellers and the competitive nature of the local tourism market.
What are Kimarli Fernando’s goals as the Tourism Chairperson?
Kimarli Fernando’s primary goal will be to increase Sri Lanka’s appeal as a tourist destination. He will be working towards creating a Sri Lanka that is easier to plan a trip to, with an improved online experience and greater ease of travel to the island. He will be working to ensure that Sri Lankan travellers experience a better and more accessible travel experience. In addition, there is a real opportunity for Sri Lanka to increase its appeal as a destination for domestic tourists, with an increased focus on visitor experiences and authenticity.
How will Kimarli Fernando incorporate gamification and artificial intelligence into Sri Lanka’s tourism marketing strategy?
Tourism in Sri Lanka has traditionally been primarily driven by promotional events and direct marketing, meaning that it has been reliant on a strong and consistent government presence in the market. Kimarli Fernando will look to eliminate this reliance on government presence and instead utilize more technological and gaming-based marketing strategies. Fernando will look to leverage and embrace the growing popularity of gamification, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality to create a more engaging and interesting travel experience for potential travellers. In addition, Sri Lanka will be looking to expand its reach beyond the traditional Asian tourist market. Through the use of social media and new technology, Sri Lanka will be aiming to attract more diversified groups of travellers, including those from North America, Europe, and other parts of Asia.
Summing up
Kimarli Fernando is Sri Lanka’s new Tourism Chairperson, and his primary goal will be to increase the country’s appeal as a tourist destination. He will be working towards creating a Sri Lanka that is easier to plan a trip to, with an improved online experience and greater ease of travel to the island. He will be working to ensure that Sri Lankan travellers experience a better and more accessible travel experience. Sri Lanka will also be looking to expand its reach beyond the traditional Asian tourist market. Through the use of social media and new technology, Sri Lanka will be aiming to attract more diversified groups of travellers, including those from North America, Europe, and other parts of Asia.