TOURISM INDUSTRY
Compiled by Lourdes Abeyeratne
WALKING THE TRAVEL TALK
Abhinav Pincha calls for a focus on emerging trends to bolster tourism
Q: How would you assess the impact of the promotional campaigns launched by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) over the last year?
A: In my view, it has been a concerted and proactive effort led by SLTPB to reignite tourism in the country following the ghastly Easter Sunday attacks.
Taking the So Sri Lanka campaign global along with active participation in travel summits and road shows in relevant international markets has had positive impacts, and the path to recovery has been quicker than expected.
In fact, the campaign in India – which is Sri Lanka’s largest source market – is noteworthy. The impact is evident from December’s tourist arrivals, which were only five percent lower than the same period in the previous year. This constitutes a great beginning in the face of adversity and needs to be built on by gaining momentum to make the impact more positive.
Q: What are the latest trends impacting the hospitality sector?
A: The sector’s future is increasingly transversal – shaping and being shaped by global movements, industries and consumer values. While numerous trends continue to impact it, a few stand out as the most prominent.
With continuously evolving technology, the sector must be ready to adapt and upgrade to newer technologies that deliver seamless, unique and personalised experiences to guests. This will lead to greater customisation, convenience and control.
Travellers’ desire to seek local and culturally immersive experiences is on the rise. The sector must gear up to fulfil this growing need, and go beyond providing the usual offerings and amenities.
Health and wellness is a far-reaching trend that encompasses many travellers and areas of interest, and cannot be ignored.
Sustainability has to be the mantra for next generation hotels as guests are becoming more aware and conscious of their need to contribute towards protecting the environment. Guilt free indulgences are becoming the order of the day.
Q: So what are the emerging customer segments in the tourism industry?
A: While Sri Lanka has been perceived as a predominantly leisure destination that is primarily driven by free independent travellers (FITs) and groups, there is a need to nurture newer segments.
With the consistent addition of larger conference and convention facilities, coupled with the growing supply of hotel rooms, meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE), tourism stands out as the leading emerging segment.
In the meantime, destination weddings – especially from neighbouring countries – have picked up recently and also needs focus.
Additionally, sports and adventure tourism is among the country’s most untapped sectors. While there is focus on a small scale across the island, this niche market has the potential to develop into a lucrative segment given the right policies and infrastructure.
Q: Which focus areas should the industry and policy makers develop to achieve the government’s target of attracting four million tourists by 2025?
A: A number of strategies have been implemented to achieve this but some require further development.
Connectivity to and from key global destinations and source markets must be evaluated. While the frequency of direct flights from neighbouring countries such as India have increased over time and rightly so, we must look to do this wherever possible – especially from Europe, which is another major source market.
Internal infrastructure also requires focus in terms of the development and extension of highways and airways connecting major tourist destinations in the country, thereby increasing accessibility and reducing travel time.
Efforts must be made to build an image of Sri Lanka as a premium tourist destination to increase the yield per traveller. And continuous efforts to provide and ensure a safe and secure environment for travellers to have an enjoyable stay is vital in today’s day and age.
Q: What is your outlook for the tourism industry over the next five years?
A: With Sri Lanka witnessing political stability and an improvement in business sentiment, coupled with policies that put the industry on the right track, the outlook looks very positive.
Continuous efforts will have to be made by the industry and government to promote the country’s image as a world-class tourist destination that delivers an all-round experience – i.e. beaches, adventure and sports, cultural immersion, MICE and more – in a safe and secure environment that meets and exceeds every traveller’s expectations.
