SLTB invests Rs. 400m for marketing

Shirajiv SIRIMANE

INVESTMENT: The Sri Lanka Tourist Board (SLTB) would be investing Rs. 400 million for their marketing campaign for 2007 said the Chairman SLTB, Renton De Alwis. This is an increase of Rs. 50 million from 2006.

The money is expected to be obtained from the Tourism CESS fund, which is around Rs. 700 million. “However unlike the recent past this money would be only spent by a special Tourism Development committee and every cent would be accounted for,” he said.

The world’s biggest travel exhibition ITB began in Berlin on Wednesday and Sri Lanka was represented by over 100 participants representing the Sri Lanka Tourist Board, Ministry, SriLankan airlines, hotels and travel agents.

Chairman said that one of the key aims of the event would be to woo European tourists who were reluctant to travel to Sri Lanka mainly due to adverse travel advisories.

The Western Europe tourist arrivals were 284,440 by the end of 2004. A total of 10,923 companies from 184 countries and territories will be presenting their tourism attractions at the ITB.