Tourism has always been one of the strongest arrows in Sri Lanka’s quiver. Despite facing some bumps on the road, it is rebounding stronger than ever. “Everybody is feeling a sense of positivity when it comes to Sri Lanka,” said the CEO of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts Mikael Svensson, during a recent LMDtv interview.

“There is an interesting sense, almost like Sri Lanka has arrived, although it’s been here for a long time,” he enthused, and added that with all the accolades and recognition the country has been receiving, there’s a feeling that “everyone is rooting for Sri Lanka.”

Svensson noted: “Sri Lanka has so much to offer; and naturally when you have an easy sell and a great attraction, you want to offer it to the world.”

However, he emphasised the importance of identifying the island’s unique selling proposition “so that we don’t try to be everything to everyone.”

He explained: “We have so much to choose from – beaches and all the beauty Down South, safaris, tea trails, the amazing city of Colombo and so much more. What’s important is how we package and market the offering – and how we pass the message onto our key markets so they understand what they’ll receive. Let’s not try to be everything to everybody because it simply confuses the message.”

While Colombo has always been considered a hub that connects travellers to the rest of the island, Svensson cited the opportunity to showcase it as a unique top tier urban city.

He continued: “The [commercial] capital can stand on its own as a city in itself; and in the future, people will come to Sri Lanka to visit Colombo like they visit Mumbai, Bangkok, Singapore or Hong Kong.”

Svensson explained that “it’s bustling in Colombo right now, and everything is so homegrown, natural and welcoming. What we have in the city resonates with people. Colombo has a lot of things going for it such as its authenticity, culture, food, art, music and beauty.”

“We can lead with what we have – such as the authenticity and warmth of the people, and nobody else can copy that,” he emphasised.

Svensson also asserted that “the other differentiator is the direct connectivity to other areas, which no other destination has.” And he pointed out that while other nations have urban hubs that people travel to in order to explore the rest of the country, the short distances between Colombo and the rest of Sri Lanka is unique.

Nevertheless, increasing appeal for the destination comes with its own challenges.

He explained that there’s a danger that “the demands of tourism can take away from the culture and authenticity of a destination, if and when it begins to shape itself according to what tourists want – rather than what’s in line with what the country and its culture offers.”

Colombo also has the potential to be a gateway city to neighbouring destinations. To this end, he noted: “Sri Lanka is strategically located, is a global hub for shipping and has great flight connectivity, which is continuously increasing. Our neighbours such as the Maldives make it even better for travellers who are looking to fulfil bucket list experiences.”

To be a gateway city, Colombo needs more investment: “We need to make sure that we have suitable infrastructure including world-class airports and facili­ties to cater to the meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) segment. In addition, more foreign investment inflows are also critical. And last but certainly not least is the city’s brand.”

Svensson observed: “Sri Lanka has been discussing the adoption of a suitable tagline for a long time. The success of a campaign is not in its tagline; we need to get to work, do something productive, stick to it and then pitch the brand.”

“Before we pitch the country, we must pitch Colombo, if we want it to be a gateway. For instance, Thailand doesn’t pitch the entire country – first is Bangkok and then comes everything else. Colombo needs to take the lead,” he summed up.