THE largest hotel operator in Sri Lanka, John Keells Hotels (JKH), is leading the way in destination promotion by hosting high-profile tours and events.
JKH will this month host Miss China finalists and Chinese journalists in a group tour, and has secured a slot in the finals to showcase Sri Lankan culture through a dance performance, a sari show and the auction of a blue sapphire.
Dileep Mudadeniya, vice president – brands, JKH, said: “We felt we need to do signature events as it positions the brand and also the country. Sri Lanka Tourism does a lot of country branding but doesn’t focus on any single brand whereas we are doing (our own) brand marketing and at the same time positioning the country,” he said, adding such efforts “complement each other”.
JKH has aggressively marketed itself through events this year, hosting other pageant groups including finalists from Miss India and Miss France. It is also bringing in the first-ever Asian Travel Bloggers Conference, a treasure hunt event for French travel consultants organised in partnership with SriLankan Airlines, and a motorcycle tour around the country by the Harley Owners Group.
“We are using unconventional means of marketing the country,” explained Mudadeniya.
He said it is only natural that large Sri Lankan chains embark on their own promotion as the massive investments in the hotel sector in the past five years come from the private sector.
