From cheap to cherished: Redefining Sri Lanka as premium experience destination

SRI Lanka — an island of rare beauty, culture, and warmth — continues to attract global travellers. Yet, for decades, we have sold ourselves short by marketing the country and its hotels on price rather than experience.

- By Fazal Hameed

Instead of celebrating our depth of culture, landscapes, and hospitality, we've drawn tourists through “value-for-money” offers. This may have driven arrivals, but it also kept our average room rates (ARR) low and our brand undervalued. To truly reposition Sri Lanka as a premium destination, we must stop competing on cost and start competing on creativity, authenticity, and experience.

Beyond the beaten path

Sri Lanka’s magic extends far beyond its well-known tourist triangle of Colombo, Galle, and Kandy. Across the island, boutique hotels, eco-lodges, and villas offer distinct experiences that could easily command premium pricing if properly marketed.

Hotels around Yala, Wilpattu, Udawalawe, and Minneriya deliver authentic wildlife encounters — dawn safaris, nature walks, river cruises, and nights under the stars — that global travellers cherish.

Equally unique are less-travelled destinations like Idalgahinna, a peaceful village best reached by train. Here, guests can enjoy village life, local cooking, and scenic nature trails, with the slow travel experience itself becoming part of the adventure.

The Knuckles Mountain Range offers trekking and agro-tourism, while the east coast from Passikudah to Arugam Bay invites surfers, divers, and wellness seekers to discover the island’s calmer, more authentic side. These are stories that can transform Sri Lanka’s image from “affordable” to “extraordinary.”

Culinary experiences worth tasting