Sri Lanka to boost tourism through travel blogger conference

Mar 29, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is planning on boosting its travel industry through the Travel Bloggers Conference Asia 2016 to be held in June with the inclusion of Cinnamon Travel Blogger Awards that recognises the contribution and role that travel bloggers play in the travel and tourism industry. The Cinnamon TBCasia is an event for travel bloggers, industry professionals and new media content creators to learn and recognize the impact of travel blogging on the global tourism and hospitality industry. “Travel blogging is one of the most undervalued components in Sri Lanka’s travel industry,” Krishan Balendra, president of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts said speaking at the launch of the event. “We can use it in a far more personal way to reach audiences and it can also help to keep in touch with potential travelers.” Travellers are increasingly sourcing information about destinations from travel bloggers, he said who are seen as an authentic source and by engaging these bloggers. "We not only aim to encourage the practice of blogging, but also want to ensure that these bloggers can put forward a balanced view about Sri Lanka as a destination," ”This is a fantastic opportunity for us to connect face-to-face with top travel bloggers and social media marketing experts while blazing new trails with like-minded peers from around the globe." The new Speed Networking Segment can help bloggers mix and mingle with over 300 industry professionals from Sri Lanka and across the region. Over 60 top travel and video bloggers are expected to attend, TBC Asia which will be held from 2-7 June 2016 in partnership with the Professional Travel Bloggers’ Association (PTBA) and SriLankan Airlines. Matt Gibson, president of the Professional Travel Bloggers Association said that Asia’s tourist industry was not yet using travel blogging to boost the industry like its North American and European counterparts. “You are going to see hundreds and hundreds of blog posts ad tens of thousands of social media posts about Sri Lanka giving travelers a personal look at a trip to your country,” “This is not something you can buy.”