USAID and SLTA launch social media influencer campaign to boost tourism

US Ambassador Julie Chung with the team of influencers and USAID Mission Director Gabriel Grau (extreme left) and USAID Director of Economic Growth Christopher Powers (second from left)

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau Chairman Chalaka Gajabahu

US Ambassador Julie Chung meeting with the team of influencers

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Indo Pacific Opportunity Project (IPOP) and Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance (SLTA) recently launched a social media influencer campaign to support efforts to increase Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals and boost the tourism industry. 

The campaign will be conducted by a team of 10 global influencers with followers from top tourism source markets, including: the UK, India, France, Germany, Poland, Scandinavia, Canada and the United States. The team will travel to many exotic locations around the country to showcase a range of sustainable niche tourism products and experiential cultural attractions that Sri Lanka has to offer to attract more visitors to the country. 

Tourism is critical to Sri Lanka’s economy as it exits the pandemic and deals with its internal economic crisis. Pre-pandemic tourism represented 12% of the country’s GDP, generating $ 4.3 billion in revenue in 2018. Sri Lanka is currently experiencing an encouraging surge in tourist arrivals and on Tuesday 26 September, crossed the crucial landmark of one million tourists for the year 2023 – easily surpassing the total of 720,000 recorded for the whole of 2022. The landmark also coincided with the celebration of World Tourism Day on 27 September.

“The increase in tourist arrivals this year in Sri Lanka is very encouraging,” said Chief Guest, Ambassador of the United States to Sri Lanka Julie Chung at the special launch event.

“It shows that Sri Lanka is again ready to realise its full potential as a global tourist destination, following years of downturn due to the COVID pandemic and the economic crisis. I am particularly pleased that USAID is engaged in this important sector and that we are supporting Sri Lanka’s return to economic stability. With the United States having worked side-by-side with Sri Lanka for 75 years, this is what a strong partnership looks like,” she added.

“I had the pleasure of meeting some of the influencers personally earlier in the evening and I was truly impressed by the stories they shared of their experiences and I am sure Sri Lanka will benefit immensely by this innovative campaign to showcase Sri Lanka to the world and attract more visitors to this beautiful country,” said Ambassador Chung. Using social media influencer campaigns has become a popular strategy for brands and organisations globally to communicate their messages, products, or services to a broader and more engaged audience. USAID has successfully sponsored social media influencer campaigns in Georgia and, most recently, Nepal. Theses campaigns are especially useful to target specific markets (e.g. UK, Germany, India, etc.) as well as certain interests (Adventure, Culture, Wellness etc.). 

“This social media influencer campaign is a novel idea and very timely boost for tourism in Sri Lanka. Our country is blessed with a diverse range of tourism offering which are available all year round. Indeed, Sri Lanka is not a place that you visit just once but a country that people will visit over and over again,” said Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau Chairman Chalaka Gajabahu.

Sri Lanka possesses rich and diverse tourism offerings, including sustainable niche tourism products and experiential cultural attractions. By leveraging the power of social media through high-quality influencers, it is possible to increase the global awareness of the amazing tourism assets in Sri Lanka, positioning the country as a high-value destination. Through captivating content, engaging storytelling, and strategic targeting, the campaign can generate demand, stimulate tourism growth, and contribute to the economic recovery of Sri Lanka’s tourism sector.

“In the tapestry of landscapes and cultures that cloak the island of Sri Lanka, there lies an abundance of singular and sustainable experiences and sights,” says Steller Co-Founder and CEO Pete Bryant. “Our shared goal with USAID and SLTA is not only to showcase, but to celebrate the depth and beauty of Sri Lanka. We are privileged to bring our campaign and media expertise to this remarkable destination to craft alluring narratives to attract the high-value travelers of the world.”

“I’m so excited to partner with USAID and Steller again. I can’t wait to see what an incredible journey awaits in Sri Lanka and to immerse myself in its vibrant culture and breathtaking landscapes,” said UK based traveller influencer Evelyn Cheng.

USAID launched the Indo Pacific Opportunity Project (IPOP) tourism activity in July 2022 to support economic reforms and promote foreign direct investment in Sri Lanka. The two-year project is assisting the Sri Lanka Tourism Ministry to streamline and implement new policies and procedures to enable fast-tracking and attraction of foreign direct investment in the tourism sector. The launch of this social media influencer campaign is another step forward in USAID-IPOP’s strategy to boost Sri Lanka’s tourism.