From left: The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka Head of Corporate Affairs and Export Promotions Malintha Gajanayake, Hilton Colombo Residences General Manager Karim Schadlou, SLAITO President and Aitken Spence Travels (Pvt.) Limited Managing Director Nalin Jayasundera, The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka Project Manager Sabrina Kolb and Siddhalepa Ayurveda Chairman & Managing Director Asoka Hettigoda
Sri Lanka's ambitious plan to attract five million tourists and generate US$ 10 billion in annual revenue by 2030 is under threat as bureaucratic delays stall a critical global promotional campaign, industry leaders said.
Top tourism stakeholders yesterday called for urgent action, warning the country is failing to leverage its potential while regional rivals such as Thailand and Vietnam surge ahead.
The strongest critique came from Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) President Nalin Jayasundera, who also serves as Managing Director of Aitken Spence Travels and represents TUI, the world's largest tour operator. He stressed that immediate and sustained international marketing is critical to achieving the 2030 targets.
"To achieve that, we need to carry out a global marketing campaign as soon as possible. That is the need of the hour," Jayasundera said. "Unfortunately, our authorities are very happy when there is organic growth. But just identifying tourism as a priority industry is not enough. We need to do it justice," he said while speaking at the inaugural Sri Lanka-German Tourism Conference, hosted by the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka).
He highlighted a sharp decline in Sri Lanka's German market share, a historically strong source of tourists. In 1982, Germans accounted for 21 percent of arrivals. By 2024, total arrivals had grown to 2 million, but the German share fell to just 6 percent.
Comparing Sri Lanka with regional competitors, Jayasundera noted that Thailand in 2024 attracted more than a million (German tourists), while Sri Lanka attracted 135,000.
"When tourism started in Sri Lanka, we were ahead of other South Asian countries like Vietnam, which are now performing well. Marketing is the key."
He dismissed the notion of peak and off-peak seasons, framing it as a marketing failure.
"There is nothing called an off-season and a season. There is good marketing and bad marketing."
The panelists too stressed the need to brand Sri Lanka as a year-round destination, calling for a coordinated strategy across government agencies to make traditionally slower months, particularly the summer, more attractive.
Suggestions included improving East Coast accessibility via highway extensions, subsidising air travel, offering special rates through Archaeological and Wildlife departments, and introducing visa-free policies during lean months.
According to Hilton Colombo Residences General Manager Karim Schadlou, Sri Lanka is focusing mainly on backpackers, more on the lower budget, rather we should focus more on the middle or the high end.
"We are sitting on a gold mine, in my opinion, but we are not converting it at the moment."
Despite the marketing challenges, the panel highlighted Sri Lanka's unique selling points. Schadlou praised the warmth and hospitality of the Sri Lankan people, while Chairman of Siddhalepa Ayurveda Asoka Hettigoda asserted the distinctiveness of Sri Lankan Ayurveda, citing its holistic approach, use of over 600 endemic medicinal plants, and centuries-old traditions.
Meanwhile, Sabrina Kolb, a German project manager with AHK Sri Lanka, shared her experience as a solo female traveller, challenging negative perceptions about safety.
"I felt safe and even less worried than in Europe," she said, encouraging visitors to embrace the country's adventurous and spontaneous spirit.