Sri Lankan Airlines Snatches the Title ‘Marketing Carrier’ at PATA Gold Awards 2020
Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a non-profit association acting as a catalyst undertaking the responsibility of the development of travel and tourism narrowed within the Asia Pacific region. Maldives is a member of the Association. PATA Travel Mart (PTM) is one of the longest running pan-regional travel trade shows. This year, the event was held 100% virtually due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, whereas Maldives had also participated in the event. During the event, PATA presented 20 Gold Award in recognizing exceptional work carried out by members to the Association.
A main focus surrounded in the winning entry for the ‘Market Carrier’ category. Sri Lankan Airlines, the National Carrier of Sri Lanka, bagged the gold award in this category, reasserting their dominance in the marketing communication endeavors in the Asia Pacific region. The Airlines was awarded the title ‘Market Carrier’ for its Pan India campaign – Next Door Neighbor and Serendipity, a campaign targeted towards holidaymakers from its neighboring county; India. The campaign consists a visual representation of a variety of refined tourist attractions Sri Lanka, with the basal that one does not have to go to great lengths for exciting and serene getaways while Sri Lanka is right next door. India is the Airline’s single largest market, thus, it was vital for the Airline to create campaign targeted to appeal Indian travelers.
Sri Lankan Airlines has previously earned the title of ‘Market Carrier’ in the years 2007 and 2019. In marking this win, Mr. Vipula Gunatilleka, Chief Executive Officer of the Airlines’ has said that “winning an award is a reason for celebration and an affirmation that we are heading in the right direction” Nevertheless, tourism sector in Sri Lanka has also been affected due the COVID-19 pandemic.