Sri Lanka : Towards a better tourism destination in Asia

Abstract: The purpose of this dissertation was to research into Sri Lanka’s tourism and study the development over the last five years, 2009-2014. The author did a small contradistinction between Sri Lanka and Thailand to see the difference between both countries in Asia. Following years was chosen because of the ended war in Sri Lanka. Interviews that have been done to accomplish this dissertation were expert interviews with three tour operators/agencies and two individuals. All five persons that were interviewed work within promoting or selling trips to Sri Lanka for Swedish travelers. Sri Lanka could be improved and market by using the 8P factors in the Marketing Mix by Morrison. Factors as Promotion, Partnership, Packaging and Impact should be prioritizing while promoting Sri Lanka as a tourist destination in Asia. During their development towards a tourism destination they have reached the Involvement stage in the Butler’s sequence model. They are developing roads, hotels and striving towards a better marketing and they will surely increase their inbound tourism as soon as the development is finished.