Holidays with SriLankan, better than ever

By DarshanaAbayasingha
Undeterred by Monday’s major military setback and its impact on tourism, SriLankan Holidays, the leisure arm of national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, launched two new brochures yesterday as part of its new growth strategy and celebration of one year since its successful re-launch.

The set of fully illustrated travel brochures for inbound and outbound holidays are described as user-friendly and “a valuable tool” for travellers looking to holiday in Sri Lanka or in any one of the destinations served by SriLankan Airlines, the company says.

The inbound brochure features 15 exciting holiday destinations in Sri Lanka, including beach and cultural resorts and city properties. It also includes 29 SriLankan Holiday partner hotels that have been handpicked by the carrier for their unique holistic traits.

Titled ‘What Will You Bring Back?’ the outbound brochure acts as a guide and an invitation for Sri Lankans to explore the world. It explores 39 holiday hotspots across much of the region including China, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Pakistan, Thailand and the Maldives.

SriLankan Holidays General Manager Amith Sumanapala, speaking at a media briefing, said, “The two brochures are a great way to discover Sri Lanka and the region.” He added that the company was confident it would succeed in encouraging more people to travel.

Sumanapala said they are able to offer a wider range of holiday destinations due to the partner network developed over the last year. These include Singapore Tourism Board, Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, Department of Tourism Goa, Maldives Tourism Promotion Board and Incredible India.

Going forward, SriLankan Holidays would focus on senior citizens, youth, single travellers and honeymooners in promoting holiday deals, he added.
Last year, SriLankan Holidays undertook the challenge of revamping its marketing strategy and building a global partnership to offer a viable product for a fast-growing clientele of holidaymakers. Since then, the company says it has established a global franchise with heavy interest from India and the Middle East.

Following the success of its ‘Visit Sri Lanka’ campaign, SriLankan Holidays has launched ‘Exciting Sri Lanka’ to encourage more Indian and Middle Eastern travellers. This year, it also introduced TradeNet, a real-time internet-based booking engine that allows travel partners to offer holidaymakers immediate hotel, flight and tour confirmations.