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by Ravi Ladduwahetty

For the first time in Sri Lanka, a massive promotional campaign has been initiated where overseas visitors get free accommodation equal to the number of days that they have paid for, from November 1 to December 20.

The programme, known as: " buy- one-and- get- one- free" has been organised by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board (SLTB) in collaboration with the travel and tourism industry and will aim to increase tourist arrivals by 15 - 20 per cent this season, SLTB Chairman Renton De Alwis told the Daily News Travel.

This will mean that for every six days spent, three days will be free, eight nights, four nights free, ten nights, five nights free, and fourteen nights, seven nights free. However, these visitors will have to spend a minimum of five nights to be eligible for this offer, Ceylon Tourist Board's Marketing Director Ms. Chamani Malage said.

The Tourist Board will also be distributing promotional brochures in English, French and German in all tourism generating markets in addition to setting up a Website so that potential clients could avail themselves of this facility.

The three travel and tourism related associations- the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), the Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka (TAASL) and the Colombo City Tourist Hotels Association (CCTHA) have all been informed of this development and they are ready for this development.

President of Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka Kumar Mallimarachchi said that the entire travel and tourism related industry has worked in consonance for the common cause and the industry should capitalise on the availability of airline seats and ground facilities. That was the theme behind this promotion.

He said:" This novel idea should augur well for the industry and regular visitors will be motivated to arrive in Sri Lanka. Colombo based hotels will also offer a ten per cent discount for leisure clients. Some hotels in Kandy and Nuwara Eliya will offer attractive discounts which should enable the sale of at least 30 - 40 packs in an instance."

When asked about the budget that the industry has made for this provision, he quipped:" It is better to have a full room than an empty one. "

The President of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators and Managing Director of Walkers Tours Ltd Wasantha Leelananda said: "This will enable tourists and operators to build confidence in Sri Lanka and numbers should increase with this."

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