Big names needed to bring in tourists: Brito

Sustained promotion and consistent branding of Sri Lanka as a holiday destination are essential if the country is to overhaul its tourism industry, according to Aitken Spence conglomerate Deputy Chairman and Managing Director RajanBrito.

Speaking during a wide-ranging interview he gave to the global publishing, research and consultancy firm Oxford Business Group (OBG), Brito said Sri Lanka had failed to boost arrival numbers after the war due to a combination of missed opportunities and complacency.

“By not encouraging the major tour operators to come in, and by not encouraging charters, we have failed to draw the commitments that would then bring the numbers,” he said. “We have sufficient funds bolstered by a tourism levy, but these have not been properly utilised. All of this has hindered us andnot given tourism a strong appearance.” 

Brito told OBG that having the industry’s major players on board was essential for growth. “It is great to have big names like Shangri La, Grand Hyatt and Marriott because they bring the numbers and promote the destination,” he said. “You need big tour operators to do the marketing and to drive the numbers.”

The full interview with Brito will appear in The Report: Sri Lanka 2016, OBG’s first report on the country’s economy. The landmark publication will contain a detailed, sector-by-sector guide for investors, alongside contributions from leading personalities, including President MaithripalaSirisena, Prime Minister RanilWickremesinghe, the Chairman and CEO of Hayleys Mohan Pandithage, the CEO of Dialog Axiata Hans Wijayasuriya and the Chairman of Softlogic Holdings Ashok Pathirage. 

The impact of infrastructure gaps on Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, especially when it comes to connectivity, is another topical issue explored in the interview. “We see a major shift coming about when and if an airport comes on-line in Trincomalee, as this opens up the entire east coast for visitors,” Brito told OBG.

Oxford Business Group (OBG) is a global publishing, research and consultancy firm, which publishes economic intelligence on the markets of the Asia, Middle East, Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean. Through its range of print and online products, OBG offers comprehensive and accurate analysis of macroeconomic and sectoral developments, including banking, capital markets, insurance, energy, transport, industry and telecoms.The Report: Sri Lanka 2016 will be produced in partnership with the Board of Investment Sri Lanka and First Capital Holdings.

The critically acclaimed economic and business reports have become the leading source of business intelligence on developing countries in the regions they cover. OBG’s online economic briefings provide up-to-date in-depth analysis on the issues that matter for tens of thousands of subscribers worldwide. OBG’s consultancy arm offers tailor-made market intelligence and advice to firms currently operating in these markets and those looking to enter them.