Marketing Sri Lanka as an International Tourist Destination

Abstract

Within the last two decades Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has grown dramatically as one of the main foreign exchange earners and employment provider. Since Sri Lanka depends enormously on tourism for its growth and development, this paper provides an analysis of marketing efforts within the tourism industry in Sri Lanka for foreign tourists. In compliance with this trend, the purpose of this thesis and research is to review Sri Lanka as an international tourist destination and its current marketing activities in the tourism trade, to investigate the proper use of marketing efforts, and to suggest guidelines for the future destination marketing strategies. Additionally, the thesis also aims at providing a clear picture of the tourism industry in Sri Lanka and will attempt to provide information, particularly to the policy makers that will assist them in making policy decisions regarding marketing strategies for the tourism industry. It will also provide some recommendations that need to be considered by policy makers when incorporating any future development plans for the tourism industry in Sri Lanka.