MTI and Skift to strategise for Sri Lanka’s global tourism campaign
Daily FT: Skift, the world’s largest tourism industry Intelligence consultancy, in a joint venture with MTI Consulting, the international strategy consultancy, has been selected by the Tourism Ministry and the World Bank to strategise and support the development of Sri Lanka’s Global Destination Communication Campaign Roadmap.
The assignment includes the development of a five-year global promotional campaign strategy supported by market intelligence, marketing direction, and a robust campaign management blueprint. The aim is to modernise Sri Lanka’s global tourism messaging, ensuring it is insight-driven, internationally benchmarked, and reflective of the country’s authentic identity.
Preparing for such a campaign requires a strong institutional, strategic, and operational foundation, including a dedicated pre-launch team, comprehensive research, a strategic communications framework, and internationally aligned procurement documentation.
The consultancy assignment will support the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) and the Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Ministry (MOFAFET) during the pre-launch phase of the global destination promotion campaign, while also developing the Terms of Reference for the Global Destination Promotion Campaign.
The project falls under the MOFAFET’s Tourism for Heritage, Resilience, Inclusion and Value-Driven Employment (THRIVE) Project and is supported through the World Bank’s Grant Facility for Project Preparation (GFPP).
MTI Consulting is an internationally networked strategy consultancy, having carried out assignments 760 in 56 countries over the past 29 years.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s expanding tourism industry is creating new business and investment opportunities for foreign companies/investors across hospitality, travel services, destination marketing and related sectors, as the country seeks to strengthen its international profile and attract more visitors. The selection of Skift, in a joint venture with MTI Consulting, by the Tourism Ministry and the World Bank to develop a five-year Global Destination Communication Campaign Roadmap marks a step towards modernising the country’s tourism promotion and improving its competitiveness in international markets. The initiative could create business/investment opportunities for foreign companies/investors specialising in tourism technology, digital marketing, market research, hospitality management and destination branding. Stronger international promotion could also stimulate demand for accommodation, transport, leisure activities and other visitor services. Potential investment areas include hotels and resorts, boutique accommodation, eco-tourism, wellness retreats, adventure tourism, cruise services and premium travel experiences. Supporting industries such as digital booking platforms, food and beverage, tourism training, transport and sustainable infrastructure also offer scope for commercial expansion. Sri Lanka’s beaches, wildlife, cultural heritage and historical attractions provide a foundation for developing tourism products targeting diverse international markets. Foreign businesses could work with local operators to introduce innovative experiences, improve service standards and connect destinations with international travel networks. The emphasis on research-driven promotion also highlights opportunities to apply visitor data, digital platforms and targeted marketing to attract higher-value travellers and encourage longer stays. For foreign investors, the potential extends beyond hotels to integrated tourism experiences and supporting services. Realising these opportunities will depend on policy consistency, infrastructure development, environmental protection and reliable service standards. With effective promotion and sustained private-sector participation, tourism could become a stronger source of foreign exchange, employment and investment for Sri Lanka.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20261020Z_3 |