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 After
lying low for more than a decade, Sri Lankan Tourism is now
making concerted efforts to cash-in on the lucrative Indian
outbound tourism market. In an exclusive Tissa Warnasuriya,
director general, Sri Lanka Tourism, in conversation with
Lakshman V, outlines future marketing strategies in the aftermath
of inking an MoU between the Sri Lankan government and LTTE.
Excerpts
What
is your marketing strategy for the Indian sub-continent?
Our marketing is more or less focussed on three major metropolitan
cities of India - Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore. Visualising
the immense outbound potential in these cities, Sri Lankan
Tourism is making a concerted and concentrated efforts to
tap this segment. Our efforts to present tourist attractions
in Sri Lanka in a complete package with special privileges
has been highly successful in turning around our fortunes.
There has been an increase of 120 per cent in Indian tourists
in the last six months. In November 2001, we had launched
a comprehensive package with special privileges to Indian
Tourists, and with increased demand have extended this package
till the end of 2002. As of today, we have received as many
as 40,000 Indian tourists and I am sure, if the trend continues,
we will certainly be able to surpass the 100,000 mark before
the end of this year.
What is Sri Lanka’s share of Indian and foreign tourists?
The Indian outbound tourism market is roughly estimated to
be around 10 million annually. In the year 2001, around 400,000
foreign tourists visited Sri Lanka including Indians. This
has remained more or less stagnant for the last several years
and so far, we have not surpassed the 500,000 mark. Of this,
the number of Indian tourists annually is around 100,000.
This is a very negligible percentage considering the sheer
potential that India encompasses. Tourists numbers to Sri
Lanka from India had reduced until late 2000. There was an
increase in tourists from November 2001 onward. So, our main
focus is attracting one million tourists annually. I feel
this can be achieved in the next couple of years.
What does Srilanka have to offer Indian tourists?
With the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
in the month of February, between the Sri Lankan Government
and LTTE, a sense of security and peace has enveloped the
city of Colombo. The situation is extremely friendly and stable.
The focus now is more toward providing Indian tourists quality
services and adjusting our products effectively to suit individual
needs and requirements. Likewise, we are trying to promote
our rich heritage, culture, nature, adventure to the Indian
traveller. We are considering the market needs of Indian tourists
and in lieu, arrange and prepare products accordingly.
What are your future plans?
The Sri Lankan government has recognised tourism as a major
thrust area. The national tourism organisation is in the process
of categorising and developing new tourism products and services
based on concepts and themes. In terms of target segment from
the Indian perspective, we are focussing more on corporates,
MICE, family and leisure, since this sector continues to grow
by leaps and bounds. This apart, we are also targeting the
Chinese outbound market and the Sri Lankan government will
be signing an MoU with the Chinese government in November,
this year. Efforts are also on to train our local guides in
the Chinese language and culture.
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