Despite being considerably affected by the recent COVID -19 outbreak, Sri Lanka Tourism is currently taking several measures to revive the Tourism sector by collaborating with key international organizations, and platforms, through destination promotional marketing among new markets via social and digital media. It is very well known that the Travel and Tourism industry worldwide has faced a major drawback regarding the ongoing COVID -19 crisis, and Sri Lanka faces a tough challenge in encouraging tourist arrivals with the new health precautions and safety guidelines in place.

Sri Lanka has been highly successful in its efforts to control the spread of COVID -19 and has proven that the country is not just the world’s number one travel destination, but also a destination with an excellent health care system. As one of the leading media giants in the world, BBC extended its valuable support to Sri Lanka Tourism during this challenging time, by entering into a no –cost partnership with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) through a comprehensive advertising campaign.

As a result, the campaign was launched in June 2020 with a coverage of 375 spots on 30 second commercials for a period of one month and were aired in South Asia, Asia Pacific, Middle East, North America and Europe news feeds of the BBC Network, (both Digital and TV). The high visibility destination marketing campaign was a result of the long standing partnership with the media platform and a testament to Sri Lanka’s proactive guidelines and protocols that have been put in place to provide travelers from across the world a ‘safe and secure’ experience in a post COVID 19 environment.

In the current context, a large number of travelers from around the world are eagerly awaiting the re-commencement of their tours or have had to put on hold their travel plans until the situation is controlled. Considering that the destination marketing space will be highly competitive in this ‘new normal ‘, continuous visibility of the Sri Lanka Tourism brand is essential. SLTPB is currently working on several advertising campaigns to keep Sri Lanka at the forefront among the selected target markets is geared up to promote our paradise island once more as a top travel and tourism destination with a diverse range of attractions from pristine beaches to lush green mountains and an island that offers ‘unmissable experiences’ while ensuring the safety of all travelers.