Sri Lanka badly needs to attract more international chain hotel brand names and also big airlines from the USA, UK, France and Germany to fly to the country to promote tourism, visiting World Travel Awards (WTA) WTA Founder and President Graham Cooke told Sunday Observer Business.
Cooke said that the island nation needs big hotel players and top branded airlines if it is to attract high spending clients.
“But I am happy and very impressed by the manner in which the country’s economy is bouncing back from the crisis in a short time frame.
“The resilience of the Sri Lankan tourism sector must be lauded and I see a very bright future for the Sri Lankan tourism industry.
“The world now knows that Sri Lanka is a safe place that can be visited and this is why I had no objection in hosting the World Tourism Awards Grand Finale on December 15 in Sri Lanka,” he said.
The award ceremony would be attended representatives from 117 countries that includes, representatives from destination management companies, hotels, tour operators, and airlines.
“These stakeholders of the global tourism industry will take back a very positive message on Sri Lanka,” Cooke said.
He said that this is the first time that WTA Travel Awards ceremony is being hosted by a South Asian country.
He thanked State Minister for Tourism Diana Gamage for her prominent role in wooing the event to Sri Lanka.
“WTA is the travel industry’s most prestigious awards program, rewarding its leaders and was created 30 years ago,” Cooke said.
State Minister Gamage said that the event would help to clear the bad publicity spread across the world during and after the economic crisis.