World Bank-Supported Consultancy Will Develop Research, Creative Direction and a Campaign Management Blueprint

MTI Consulting and Skift have been selected to support the development of Sri Lanka’s Global Destination Communication Campaign Roadmap, creating the strategic foundation for a future five-year international tourism campaign

COLOMBO, 12 October 2026 — Sri Lanka has appointed an international and local consultancy partnership to help develop the strategic roadmap for a new five-year global tourism promotion campaign.

Skift Inc. of the United States and Sri Lanka-based MTI Consulting have been selected to lead the Global Destination Communication Campaign Road Map Consultancy.

The assignment will support the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism during the preparation stage of the country’s proposed global destination campaign.

The consultancy is expected to develop a five-year international promotional strategy supported by market intelligence, destination analysis, creative and marketing direction, and a campaign-management blueprint.

Its stated objective is to modernise Sri Lanka’s global tourism communications while ensuring that future messaging reflects the country’s authentic identity and is informed by international research and benchmarks. srilanka.travel<!– INSERT CUSTOM HTML WIDGET 1 HERE –>

Roadmap Comes Before the Final Global Campaign

The consultancy assignment should not be confused with the launch of Sri Lanka’s final global tourism advertising campaign.

MTI and Skift are developing the research, strategy, management framework and procurement documentation that authorities would need before appointing or managing the agencies responsible for executing the future campaign.

The work is expected to include destination and market research, a strategic communications framework, recommendations for campaign management and the preparation of internationally aligned terms of reference.

A dedicated pre-launch team and operational structure are also considered important to the preparation process.

As of 12 October 2026, official information reviewed for this article does not provide a confirmed launch date for the final five-year global campaign.

Part of a Wider Tourism Planning Programme

The global communication roadmap was originally announced alongside the National Tourism Strategic Planning Consultancy for 2026–2031.

That separate strategic-planning assignment was awarded to a joint venture between Aninver Development Partners of Spain and EML Consultants PLC of Sri Lanka.

It is expected to prepare a broader national tourism framework covering:

• Tourism demand and supply
• Investment requirements
• Regulatory and institutional reform
• Skills development
• Marketing strategy
• Tourism data and digital systems
• National implementation planning

The global communication roadmap led by MTI and Skift has a more specific marketing and destination-positioning role.

Together, the two assignments are intended to provide a strategic foundation for developing Sri Lanka’s tourism sector over the next five years.<!– INSERT CUSTOM HTML WIDGET 2 HERE –>

Supported Through a World Bank Project-Preparation Facility

The consultancy work forms part of the Ministry’s Tourism for Heritage, Resilience, Inclusion and Value-Driven Employment Project, known as THRIVE.

The assignments are supported through the World Bank’s Grant Facility for Project Preparation.

World Bank support for tourism is connected to its wider development partnership with Sri Lanka, which identifies tourism and agriculture as sectors with significant potential to create employment and attract private investment.

The World Bank’s five-year Country Partnership Framework also identifies high-value tourism as an area capable of generating employment and economic opportunities in different parts of the country. Daily FT

Moving From Visitor Numbers to Tourism Value

Sri Lankan tourism authorities have indicated that the country’s future strategy should focus on the economic and social value created by tourism—not only the total number of visitor arrivals.

This could include attracting visitors who stay longer, travel beyond established destinations, spend more with local businesses and participate in responsible cultural, environmental and community experiences.

At the August launch of the consultancy assignments, Deputy Tourism Minister Professor Ruwan Ranasinghe said Sri Lanka needed to consider the limitations of its ecological systems, population and cultural heritage when planning tourism growth.

This approach could influence how the future campaign positions Sri Lanka internationally and which visitor segments it targets.

However, specific target markets, campaign messages, media channels and expenditure allocations will depend on the consultancy process and subsequent Government decisions.

Research Expected to Guide Destination Marketing

The roadmap is expected to use market intelligence to understand how travellers currently perceive Sri Lanka and what motivates potential visitors in different international markets.

Research could help tourism authorities determine which destinations, experiences and visitor segments should receive priority.

It could also support more focused campaigns instead of presenting one general message to every market.

The assignment’s official description refers to market intelligence, creative direction and an internationally benchmarked campaign-management structure. Detailed research results have not yet been publicly released.

No particular slogan, creative identity or advertising concept has been confirmed through the official information reviewed for this article.

Potential Opportunities for Tourism Businesses

A more targeted global promotion strategy could benefit Sri Lankan accommodation providers, tour operators, restaurants, transport services, guides, wellness providers, event businesses and community-based tourism enterprises.

Its value to individual businesses will depend on whether the future campaign:

• Represents different regions and tourism experiences
• Connects international interest with bookable local services
• Provides useful market information to industry participants
• Supports smaller tourism businesses alongside established operators
• Creates consistent and credible international messaging
• Promotes responsible and sustainable visitor experiences

Businesses should not assume that the consultancy appointment creates an immediate grant, advertising opportunity or Government registration programme.

Any procurement, partnership, funding or participation opportunities should be confirmed through the Tourism Ministry, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, World Bank or other authorised institutions.

Building a More Recognisable Global Identity

Sri Lanka offers beaches, wildlife, ancient cities, religious and cultural heritage, tea-country landscapes, wellness experiences, cuisine, surfing, diving and meetings and events.

The challenge for a global campaign will be presenting this diversity through a clear destination identity that international travellers can recognise and remember.

The campaign will also need to ensure that promotional expectations are supported by the visitor experience, including transport, accommodation quality, digital information, environmental management and professional service standards.

International marketing may generate interest, but the long-term reputation of a destination depends on what visitors experience after arrival.

SLD Perspective

The development of a five-year global campaign roadmap is an important opportunity for Sri Lanka to reassess how it presents itself internationally.

Effective tourism promotion should move beyond beautiful images and general slogans. It should be based on reliable market research, a clear understanding of the desired visitor and a realistic representation of Sri Lanka’s tourism experiences.

For Sri Lankan tourism businesses, the most meaningful outcome would be a campaign that converts global visibility into regional economic activity, employment and opportunities for businesses of different sizes.

Transparency surrounding the strategy, procurement process, campaign timeline and performance measurements will also be important.

Sri Lanka Directory will continue monitoring the project for confirmed campaign dates, target markets, creative direction and participation opportunities for tourism businesses.