Marketing Sri Lanka

By Uditha Devapriya

If Sri Lanka is to think afresh, it must think anew. Nowhere is this truer than its tourism sector. Hindered for so long by so many bottlenecks, the tourism sector has been held back by too many conventional wisdoms. It’s not just that officials are unwilling to step out of their comfort zones, but also that no one has given them a sense of direction on how to step out at all.

We assume that what worked in the past will work in the present, that what enticed tourists then will entice them now. Nothing could be further from the truth. If we are to revive tourism in Sri Lanka, then, we must think and reflect radically on the object of those strategies, the way Sri Lanka is perceived by the world.

This, however, is a tough ask. How one region or country views Sri Lanka will necessarily be different from how another views it. There are different, often competing, visions of the country, not all of which can be reconciled. This has been reflected in the many tourism strategies the government has embarked on over the years.

Paradoxically, Sri Lanka’s uniqueness in this respect resides in its lack of a unique identity: it is many things to many countries, to many people too. Instead of trying to forge a single identity, we should thus emphasise a pluralist identity, one that lends itself easily to the many cultures, climates, and communities that reside in the country. Yet to do this requires a rehaul of existing strategies. We need to strike out our fear of trying something new.

When one thinks of Sri Lanka, one conjures images of sandy beaches, old temples, and mist-clad hills and mountains. Geographically these translate into the southern belt (Galle to Hambantota), the Cultural Triangle (Kandy, Anuradhapura, and Polonnaruwa), and the hill country (beyond Kandy, in Hatton, Bandarawela, and Nuwara Eliya). These are, for the lack of a better way of putting it, what has earned the sector, which happens to be Sri Lanka’s third biggest export industry, its profits.

But there are other regions, lodged in-between these hotspots, which have never been seriously considered until now: one example would be Kurunegala, and by extension the Wayamba Province. The pandemic provided perhaps the best opportunity to consider these regions. Yet that never happened.

To be sure, there is no point marketing these regions as the tourist hotspots of the future if the necessary infrastructure is not in place. Kurunegala and Wayamba, for instance, can be marketed as a central node between the Cultural Triangle and the southern belt. This, however, would require the completion of the Central Expressway, which links to Kandy.

By infrastructure, of course, I do not just mean highways and expressways: I also mean better-quality boutique hotels and rest-houses, access to facilities like faster internet, and greater linkages between hotels and ancillary services like car rentals. These are essential to any viable tourism strategy, yet I wonder whether, in the rush to market Sri Lanka as an exotic getaway, we have neglected such imperatives.

Tourist sectors invariably cater to two markets: the mass and the niche. The southern belt and the hill country are more mass market than is the Cultural Triangle, which appeals to both cultural tourists and general audiences. No country can afford not to strike a balance between these two extremes. Tilting to one side – for instance, by marketing Sri Lanka as a cultural destination – risks depriving it of the tourist inflows it needs.

The challenge here, the way I see it, is how Sri Lanka can promote its past among general audiences without limiting it to a niche crowd. The same old strategies – promoting an exoticized, orientalised image of the country – will no longer do. Tourists are more sophisticated and less cut out for time now. If they want to travel to a place like Anuradhapura or Polonnaruwa, it isn’t just to visit cultural sites, it is also to get an experience, like meditation in a cave.

Experiences are individual and personal. They must thus be catered to individuals and highly personalised. The challenge for the tourism sector is to strike a balance between niche and generic tourist experiences. Yet striking this balance is not the only issue, the sector must also revise the kind of niche experiences it is already marketing. Sri Lanka is often promoted as a hiker’s and backpacker’s paradise. The imagery this conjures – verdant, mist-clad hills, the kades serving aappa and vadai – has been so ingrained within the Sri Lankan psyche that it is impossible to disassociate them from the country.

Yet we must think beyond these median markets. We must look up to higher end markets, and to the kinds of experiences tourists there generally want.

To this end Sri Lanka must look beyond traditional markets, its comfort zones. The latest statistics seem to confirm growing numbers from South-East Asia. South-East Asia shares a great deal in terms of culture and climate with Sri Lanka. There are enough commonalities between these regions to look into ways of expanding opportunities and strengthening ties. Moreover, when other countries seek greater ties with us, we must reciprocate. Türkiye, to give one example, commenced direct flights to Colombo. This enables Sri Lanka to connect with 129 other countries, including in north-eastern Europe.

Türkiye, moreover, sits at the crossroads of Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia. This is very important. Central Asia, in particular, offers a future for Sri Lanka. Yet has the Tourist Board considered these possibilities? Has it thought of operationalising them?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs can and should step forward here. Yet without the support of other players – State and private – we cannot deliver nor expect results. Sri Lanka is often touted as blessed, free from many of the natural disasters that fall on other countries. It must turn this into its unique selling point. Accordingly, it must rehaul its strategies on two fronts. Internally, it must promote new experiences for new clienteles. Externally, it must look out for other markets.

In a country boasting of a 2,500-year history, we cannot latch ourselves on to the same strategies, tactics, and visions. Tourism in Sri Lanka, thus, needs an urgent revamping. But will the relevant officials rise to the challenge?

The writer is an international relations analyst, independent researcher, and freelance columnist who can be reached at udakdev1@gmail.com.