As the situation in Sri Lanka continues to improve, Mastercard today announced its latest effort to promote the island nation as a safe and affordable destination for inbound travelers. With tourism being a key pillar of the country’s economy, restoring holidaymakers’ confidence and appetite to visit Sri Lanka is the natural next step following the relaxation of travel advisories for Sri Lanka in a number of countries. .
To support these goals, Mastercard has directly purchased more than 50 offers from travel industry partners, including hotels, resorts, restaurants and tour operators. This collaborative effort with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board (SLTPB) includes Mastercard using the slogan “Visit Sri Lanka”.
For cardholders interested in visiting Sri Lanka, Mastercard has assembled comprehensive travel benefits that can be explored on Mastercard’s Priceless Specials platform (https://specials.priceless.com). This curated website is a one-stop-shop serving Mastercard cardholders worldwide, giving them access to all relevant offers in any part of the world, depending on their card type. These offerings cater to consumer passions and interests such as travel, arts and culture, sports, food, entertainment and more.
“The tourism industry has always been one of the most important pillars of Sri Lanka’s economy. However, due to recent concerns in the country, the global media has refrained from promoting a positive view of Sri Lanka, which has led to a decrease in traveler confidence,” said Hon. Harin Fernando, Minister of Tourism. “The government of Sri Lanka highly appreciates Mastercard’s efforts to support the industry in changing the narrative with the aim of bringing more travelers to our tropical shores. We are confident that this partnership will further enhance Sri Lanka’s credibility in as a renowned destination.On the government side, we have ensured that our clients have uninterrupted access to the services and materials required for a truly Sri Lankan holiday.
“With the presence of several global players in Sri Lanka, we are grateful to Mastercard for playing a leading role in bringing Sri Lanka back as a destination in the limelight. As well as being one of our most trusted partners, Mastercard is one of the few that can execute a campaign as massive as this, given its ability to work with multiple stakeholders related to tourism, including hotels, airlines and retailers,” said Chalaka Gajabahu, Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board. “Sri Lanka has made a name for itself as one of the iconic tourist destinations of the world, with international accolades and accolades recognizing the same. Considering how affordable some priceless experiences are in Sri Lanka, now is the time to visit Sri Lanka in a single capsule.”
“As a long-time partner of the Sri Lankan government, this collaboration with SLTPB is Mastercard’s latest initiative to support the revival of the country’s tourism industry,” said Sandun Hapugoda, Country Manager, Sri Lanka and Maldives, Mastercard. “Revitalizing this hard-hit sector is simply essential to the country’s economic recovery, and that’s what this effort aims to reinforce.”
Since 2018, Mastercard has worked with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Board to promote the country as a preferred tourist destination in several key source markets, including India, Bangladesh and the Maldives. In January 2020, Sri Lanka was the first destination in South Asia to be added to Mastercard’s Priceless Cities program, a curated list of destinations that offer exclusive experiences under the Mastercard slogan – “this money can’t buy “. In December 2020, Mastercard partnered with SLTPB to offer Mastercard’s Tourism Insights platform, as well as free government advisory services to support the recovery of Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, post-pandemic.
