Sri Lanka promoted at UK Association of National Tourist Offices and Representatives Webinar

• Initiative by Sri Lanka Tourism in collaboration with the Sri Lankan High Commission in the UK

Sri Lanka Tourism, in collaboration with Sri Lanka High Commission in the UK, participated at a Virtual Media networking session on 29 September. The Virtual Media meet was organized by the Association of National Tourist Offices and Representatives (ANTOR), which is a voluntary non-political organization established in the UK in 1952. ANTOR’s members comprise national and regional tourist offices which are represented in the United Kingdom.

“ANTOR meets the media” is an event which has been hosting 100 plus media in a workshop format in London for the past 30 years. This year the event was in virtual format, which has provided them the opportunity to widen their net of guests, inviting travel media from the UK to meet the members virtually face to face. Appointments were also made ahead of time with the media, sanctioning 20 minutes for each event, enabling a multiple number of media meetings within an approximate 6-hour long invaluable time span.

Participation at this event enabled Sri Lanka to approach the travel media directly. It provided the opportunity to create awareness on Sri Lanka’s extent of safety measures set apart in preparation for tourist arrivals once the country reopens to welcome travelers. It endorsed the significance of safety and concern, enough to retain Destination Sri Lanka on top of the mind of travelers. 

Leading journal publishing houses such as Travel Bulletin, Green Traveler Productions, Wanderlust, BMI Publishing, Selling Travel, TTG media and Culture Trip etc. were in attendance at the Sri Lanka Virtual stand showing a deep interest in getting an update on the current situation in the island.

Consequently, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) created a dazzling virtual standpoint, highlighting unique features of the island nation, showcasing a library of press write ups, images and videos.

The event began with a media briefing on Sri Lanka Tourism with the participation of Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernado and Sri Lanka High Commissioner for UK, H.E. Saroja Sirisena. 

During the meeting the Chairperson highlighted, the success story of how Sri Lanka dynamically managed to control the coronavirus pandemic through strategically planned safety measures and pointed out latest updates on the current pandemic situation. She expanded on the protocols to be implemented ensuring the safety of both the islanders and the visitors arriving in Sri Lanka, the moment the airport gates open for tourist inflow. 

Speaking at the meeting H.E. Sirisena elaborated on the significance of the UK market to Sri Lanka Tourism and the deep interest and affinity felt by the British tourists towards Sri Lanka. The High Commissioner further laid weight on the role UK media could play in promoting Sri Lanka in the UK market in a bid to revive tourism industry. 

The event was moderated by SLTPB Director—Marketing, Dushan Wickramasuriya.

Subsequent to the Media briefing, the representatives at the Sri Lanka virtual stand held decisive one-to-one meetings with UK journalists and was held throughout the event time period.  

The media event was successfully concluded on a positive note, enabling Sri Lanka Tourism to strategically connect with British Media, updating them on the current situation in Sri Lanka and establishing the fact that Sri Lanka is resilient, high-spirited and still a paradise for tourists.