The Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association (SLRA) under the patronage of the Ministry of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs and in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) is organizing the ‘Colombo International Shopping Festival’ (CISF) during the entire month of October.
A joint promotional initiative is underway under a National Steering Committee headed by the Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association (SLRA) and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) to launch the first ever shopping festival in Sri Lanka with a global advertising campaign along with Sri Lankan Airlines, the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (SLEDB), Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, Sri Lanka Tea Board, The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), The Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka (TAASL) and Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO). The Government allocated funding in the National Budget 2017 to organize the shopping festival, based on representations made by SLRA. In making Sri Lanka a retail hub this would be a stepping-stone. It is envisaged that the Colombo International Shopping Festival will become an annual shopping festival similar to those in Dubai and Singapore.
Colombo International Shopping Festival (CISF) will focus on tourist segments from India, Pakistan, the Maldives and Bangladesh with an advertising campaign launched in those countries by Sri Lanka Tourism. Marketing in other countries will be with assistance of the respective foreign embassies and Sri Lankan Airlines.
The Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association (SLRA) with a strong membership of leading organized retailers and over 2,000 retail outlets will offer value bargains/discounts during the festival season month from October 1 to 31, in island-wide outlets in collaboration with credit card companies; MasterCard, Visa and AMEX along with Banks and other financial institutions.
SLRA invites All Retailers and other national, domestic/ local, organizations and parties to join this pioneering endeavor to launch the first ever Sri Lankan Shopping festival.