Marketing Sri Lanka: Altering a negative tourist image

Abstract

Destination marketers use the image often to convey the positive attributes of the destination yet identification of negative attributes and finding solutions to alter the existing image held by the target market segment so that it fits more closely with the destination's desired position can be considered as a strategy that makes future customers happy. Sri Lanka being a highly touristic country with abundance of historical, cultural, and natural attractions receives tourists from all around the world. End of the civil war made Sri Lanka a safer destination and that made the country as the best destination to be visited according the New York Times Magazine’s rankings in 2010. The aim of this study was to identify the positive and negative image factors associated with the destination and to make suggestions for altering the identified negative attributes. A survey of 148 international tourists visited the country during 2010 was done by using a structured questionnaire that measures 39 image attributes. Factor Analysis results recognized 12 factors and 4 of them were related to negative image attributes. Poor facilitating services, inadequate infrastructure, expensive charges, and disturbing begging dampen the spirits of tourists. Sri Lanka can be positioned as one of the best tourist destinations on the world map only after these factors are improved. In the end this study draws different strategies to deal with the prevailing problems associated with negative attributes of the Sri Lanka as international travel destination.