Tourism begin to bloom in Sri Lanka

Ancient Jaffna Fort

(February 22, Colombo - Lanka Polity)  The January performance of Sri Lankan hotels has been excellent, with arrivals reaching 50,750, which is a 32 percent increase on last January. The main contribution to this increase has been the British market (24.6 percent increase), Germany (54 percent) and India (73.5 percent). January and February are two of the busiest months in the tourism calendar, which is the peak of the high season. Better performance is expected in February.

Meanwhile, the state-run English weekly Sunday Observer quoted Tourism Minister Achala Jagoda as saying nearly 550,000 local and foreign tourists had toured Jaffna via A-9 road during last week.

The number quoted has come as a surprise to observers particularly since the Northern Province is still virtually out of bounds for foreigners and there is very little tourism infrastructure on the ground in the war-ravaged province.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa said recntly in an interview with The Hindu "I have set new targets for tourism. I called the Tourism Board and said I was not satisfied with the present [rate of development]. I want to call the private sector. They're going to the Maldives and various other countries to invest their money. I am going to tell them to invest here. I want to get Indian companies, the Tatas and others, to invest in Sri Lanka."

Sri Lanka's new Minister of Tourism to show "big miracles"

(August 02, 2009 - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka's new Minister of Tourism, Nandana Gunathilaka has decided to give up the recently launched tagline "Sri Lanka; Small Miracle."

The Minister has made the President aware that the use of the word "small" is not suitable for a great nation like Sri Lanka. However, Gunathilaka's clan earlier opposed power sharing on the basis that Sri Lanka is a small island.

Lakbima News reported that a promotional documentary film on Sri Lanka Tourism (for marketing purposes) produced by a company named Red Ice, Bombay, claimed a staggering Rs.29 million while Phoenix Ogilvy (Phoenix O&M Pvt Ltd.) the advertising company was paid a thumping Rs.40 million for creating the brand name and producing promotional material, such as brochures and posters. The minister had pointed out that the brand launch at Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) cost Rs.17.7 million.

The Minister sees that this as an extravagance. As far as we know, the international marketing of tourism is not "a simple task" as the Minister sees it. "If leading scholars in the country involve in creating a brand name, it could be done within few days," says the Minister. The marketing specialists will definitely be amused with the Minister's naivety.

It is true that the capitalist advertising is too much bragging and full of falsehood. Yet, Gunathilaka's "socialist" option is sure to be failed. International tourism marketing should be based on a science and should not be like the production of "Ayuboweva - Maharajanane" song.

We will not wonder if this new venture will finally end up with a new multi-million contract offered to the advertising company owned by Minister Sarath Amunugama's daughter.

View Sri Lanka; Small Miracle documentary

Thirty-four media workers killed during present government rule in Sri Lanka

Another 50 scribes in self-exile

(July 23, 2009 - Lanka Polity) Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS), a newly formed expatriate journalists' association says that people of Sri Lanka are deprived of their right to information and media and journalists are forced to practice unprecedented level of self censorship.

JDS points out that thirty-four journalists and media workers have been killed with no recourse to justice since the present United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government came into power in April 2004 . Out of 34 killed three were Sinhala journalists, one Muslim and 30 were from the Tamil community, JDS observes. In addition, 10 journalists and media workers were abducted.

The tense situation in Sri Lanka resulted in more than 50 journalists leaving Sri Lanka fearing persecution: They now live in the following countries:

Austria 01; Australia 03; Canada 03; Denmark 01; France 12; Germany 04; India 05; Malaysia 01; Netherlands 02; Nepal 02; Norway 02; Switzerland 16; UK 10; USA 02.

RECORDED LIST OF KILLINGS OF JOURNALISTS AND MEDIA WORKERS
APRIL 2004 – MARCH 2009 (Tamil rebels are accused for killings of some of hese journalists - Editor)

2004
1. Aiyathurai A. Nadesan – Journalist / 31 May
2. Kandaswamy Aiyer Balanadaraj – Writer / 16 August
3. Lanka Jayasundera – Photo journalist / 11 December

2005
4. Dharmaratnam Sivaram – Editor / 28 April
5. Kannamuttu Arsakumar – Media worker/ 29 June
6. Relangee Selvarajah – Journalist / 12 August
7. D. Selvaratnam – Media worker/ 29 August
8. Yogakumar Krishnapillai – Media Worker / 30 September
9. L. M. Faleel (Netpittimunai Faleel) – Writer / 02 December
10. K. Navaratnam – Media worker / 22 December

2006
11. Subramaniam Suhirtharajan – Journalist / 24 January
12. S. T. Gananathan – Owner / 01 February
13. Bastian George Sagayathas – Media worker / 03 May
14. Rajaratnam Ranjith Kumar – Media worker / 03 May
15. Sampath Lakmal de Silva – Journalist / 02 July
16. Mariadasan Manojanraj – Media worker / 01 August
17. Pathmanathan Vismananthan – Singer and musician / 02 August
18. Sathasivam Baskaran – Media worker / 15 August
19. Sinnathamby Sivamaharajah – Media owner / 20 August

2007
20. S. Raveendran – Media worker / 12 February
21. Subramaniam Ramachandran – Media personnel / 15 February
22. Chandrabose Suthakar – Journalist / 16 April
23. Selvarasah Rajeevarman – Journalist / 29 April
24. Sahadevan Neelakshan – Journalist / 01 August
25. Anthonypillai Sherin Siththiranjan – Media worker / 05 November
26. Vadivel Nimalarajah – Media worker / 17 November
27. Isaivizhi Chempian (Subhajini) - Media worker / 27 November
28. Suresh Limbiyo - Media worker / 27 November
29. T. Tharmalingam - Media worker / 27 November

2008
30. Paranirupesingham Devakumar – Journalist / 28 May
31. Rasmi Mohamad – Journalist / 06 October

2009
32. Lasanntha Wickrematunga - Editor / 08 January
33. Punniyamurthy Sathyamurthy - Journalist / 12 February
34. Sasi Mathan – Media worker / 06 March

More new Ministers for Sri Lanka; Milinda to run Justice while Nanda to do tourism

(July 02, 2009) Sri Lanka's National Freedom Front (JNP) MP Nandana Gunathilaka is to swear in before the President as the Minister of Tourism today. Former Minister of Tourism Milinda Moragoda is to be appointed as the Minister of Justice.

Moragoda, a United National Party (UNP) MP, crossed over to the government in 2007. He was the Minister of Economic Reform under the Ranil Wickramasinghe government between 2001-2004. The privatization of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation and the Lanka Marine Services Company by the Public Enterprises Reform Commission (PERC) that was under the direct purview of Minister Moragoda then was ruled as corrupt deals and the Supreme Court has ruled to revert them to the state. The activities of the Minister Milinda Moragoda under the UNP regime were heavily criticized by the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (COPE) report.

Meanwhile, the JNP MP Piyasiri Wijenayaka is to swear in today as the non-cabinet Minister of Cultural Affairs and National Heritage.

Sri Lanka tourism: "Small Miracle" shown as "Land like No other" gone

Aiming to revive the tourist industry of Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the devastating civil war, Sri Lanka Tourism officially launched its new logo and tagline “Sri Lanka Small Miracle”, ushering in a new era for Sri Lanka Tourism.

The new brand of Sri Lanka Tourism was conceptualized following months of research by A C Nielson, and strategic planning sessions intended to replace the current tagline “Sri Lanka, Land like No other”. As part of the communication campaign, many promotions, road shows and press conferences were planned across fifteen cities in ten countries leading up to the local launch- a move that is expected to attract and generate more tourists into the island.

Leading up to the rebranding, Sri Lanka Tourism launched an island wide programme in May titled, “Making of the Small Miracle”. The main objective of this programme was to get all Sri Lankans to be a part of the rebranding. Local communities were asked to provide pictures, artifacts, and other collectibles that they believed was a good example of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Tourism ended this programme successfully last week, having collected thousands of items.
The collectibles were displayed at an exhibition on the day of the launch while some of the best items were used by the communication agency for the new print campaign.

Coinciding with the new brand launch, all communication material of Sri Lanka Tourism have been revamped .The website was re-launched with a new look and feel in keeping with the brand strategy while brochures with eight different themes unique to Sri Lanka have also been printed. Posters, stationary and other memorabilia will be available.

In addition a new print campaign will be launched in prominent international trade magazines as well as TV campaigns on BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera and Discovery Travel & Living. To mark the launch, Sri Lanka Tourism introduced value additional offers for tourists. A postcard campaign will be launched the day after the rebranding, where 250,000 post cards will be distributed while a discount booklet campaign will also launched with over 50 discount offers in a booklet. 10 postcards and a discount booklet will be bundled together and packed in a gift box and handled over to tourists arriving in Sri Lanka from June 24thfor a period of one month.

In addition, a cyber competition for the blogging community is planned to be launched for six months beginning this week.A radio campaign to promote lesser known places in Sri Lanka was also launched locally through Narambamu Sri Lanka – the domestic campaign.

A commemorative stamp was launched at a Press Conference which symbolized the new brand- Small Miracle.Meanwhile addressing the guests and media via a live feed from Temple Trees at the launch of Small Miracle at the BMICH, His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared 2011 as a “Visit Sri Lanka Year”. In keeping with this theme, a series of activities and events have been planned in 2011 to lure in more tourists to the island.

President Rajapaksa in his address stated that “Having regained peace, my vision for development of tourism has become a reality. Every effort will be made and all resources will be provided to Sri Lanka Tourism to meet the target of 2.5 million tourists by 2016, as envisaged in the tourism strategic plan”