Industry officials said among the many short coming of the island destination was its lack of basics manners and clean surroundings.

Industry officials said while Sri Lanka was known for friendly people and beautiful destinations, but also known for civil unrest, overall lack of safety on the streets and trouble with touts.

Officials agreed that before any branding exercise, the industry needed to create a conducive environment for tourism.

Design Bridge Asia’s Head of Strategy Anjali Grover making the presentation on destination branding said “the positioning and value have to be rooted in the fundamental truths about the nation and its culture.”

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s current tourism branding also came under heavy criticism from the industry for its lack of focus.

Tourism industry officials said the current branding ‘a destination like no other’ lacked focus and failed to communicate a compelling promise to entice the traveler.

Grover said the branding needed to identify with the emotional needs of the traveler and try to match that with what the destination had to offer.

Grover said that while most destinations had similar settings, it was the “experience on an emotional level” what set the detonations apart.

“The nation would need to find a unique piece of information that positions its experience in people’s minds differently from everywhere else in the world.”

The romance of France and the free spirit of Sydney in Australia were compelling emotional triggers that attract tourists, said Grover.

Grover added that the island needed to work together to develop its tourism brand, starting from the attitudes of the people to the commitment from politicians and right up to the tourism industry and the branding initiative.

-Shafraz Farook: shafrazf@vanguardlanka.com