Farewell to Jean-Marc 23rd April 2008

Jean-Marc, Sue Biggs, Andrew Cooper, Sanjika Perera
Julie Graves, Frances Tuke, Jean-Marc Flambert, Sanjika Perera, Francis Torilla, Stephen Barnes, Susan Lamb
Nabeel Shariff, Sanjika Perera, Jean-Marc Flambert, Andrew Cooper, Sue Biggs, Sudantha Ganegamarachchi (Deputy High Commissioner, Sri Lanka High Commmission), Tom Nutley
Tom Nutley

Some of the leading tourism personalities gathered at the Sri Lanka High Commission to celebrate Sri Lanka, on St. George's Day.
Sue Biggs (former MD Kuoni), Andrew Cooper (Director General, FTO), Tom Nutley (President Reed / WTM and Chairman, PATA UK) spoke highlighting the impact Jean-Marc and the Sri Lanka Tourism office had over the last 3 years. Over 100 tour operators and media joined to celebrate Sri Lanka.

Sunday Times Magazine June 2008

Some of the many pages in this wonderful article by Josephine Davies, who was flown to Sri Lanka by Kuoni and SriLankan Airlines.

Buy the article today.

Feed Back from the UK Industry

To:"'JEAN-MARC FLAMBERT'"
Subject: Sri Lanka Tourism UK News
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:55:03 -0000

Ayubowan Jean-Marc

You are doing a great job in ensuring that Sri Lanka gets and deserves the right level of publicity. We will continue to happily support Sri Lanka during 2008.

All best wishes and kind regards.

Hazel McNeile
Connoisseur Travel

From: Gill Merriman [mailto:gill@key2holidays.co.uk]
Sent: 13 February 2007 09:32
To: 'JEAN-MARC FLAMBERT
'Subject: RE: SLTB promotion

Dear Jean-Marc

I have never seen our staff so happy ! They all really treally enjoyed your training
Indeed some said it was the best they had ever had.

Very informative and interesting - just the right length of time and now they all want to go to Sri Lanka

Many thanks for taking the time to come inrto the office it was most appreciated

Best Regards

Gill


From: "Claire Atkins" View Contact Details
To: "JEAN-MARC FLAMBERT"
Subject: Yesterday's Training
Date: Fri, 18 May 2007 11:13:41 +0100

Dear Jean Marc

The feedback I received yesterday was really positive and everyone enjoyed the training.
They normally find training sessions quite mundane and boring but all of them have commented on the fact that yours was the most informative and enjoyable.

Perhaps we could look at doing something again next year?

Many Thanks
Claire
Claire Atkins Reservations Manager
Sunspot Tours Ltd / Mercury


From: "FALKIRK 655 UK MYT Retail"
Subject: Ayubowan ! from Sri Lanka Tourism
Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2007 08:35:32 +0100
To: "JEAN-MARC FLAMBERT"
HI JEAN-MARC
I THOUGHT YOUR PRESENTATION WAS EXCELLENT. HAVING BEEN TO SRI LANKA IN
SEPTEMBER, I COULD RELATE TO ALL YOU WERE SAYING AND FOR MY COLLEAGUES
WHO HAVE NOT BEEN, THEY THOUGHT YOU EXPLAINED THE KEY SELLING POINTS OF THIS FANTASTIC COUNTRY VERY WELL, NOW THEY ALL WANT TO GO.
I WILL KEEP YOU AS MY CONTACT AND LET YOU KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING WE
NEED.
AYUBOWAN
JOANNE

Publicity in the UK Market

Since the 2004 tsunami, Sri Lanka Tourism has struggled to raise its head. The initial sympathy and good will was not harnessed and tourism arrivals fell in 2005, and 2006. The gradual breakdown of the cease fire agreement did not help the country's tourism arrivals. However, the tour operators and media in the UK have shown tremendous support. Building on the record £ 2.9m worth of positive publicity in 2006 spending under £ 15,000, Sri Lanka Tourism (with out a full time PR company) was able record the second best ever year for tourism from the UK. 2007 numbers were not back to the pre-tsnunami levels, but revenue increased.

Two reasons for this are :

a) support from over 25 UK based tour operators who pledged matching funds to create a £ 1m marketing fund.
b) support from the UK media to have over £ 2.3m in 2007, and about £ 1m already booked for 2008.

Whilst 2008 is not likely to exceed the 90,000 mark, the successes of the past 2 years, will ensure that a steady flow of traffic continues and that revenues continue to increase.

Publicity in Trade Magazines and Papers

Feedback from the Sri Lankan Industry

The industry in Sri Lanka has been very supportive and have appreciated the work done by this office :


Subject: Thank you
From: "Pradeep de Alwis"
Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 08:19:52 +0530
To: "Jean-Marc Flambert"
Dear JM,
Its indeed a sad moment for Sri Lanka Tourism as you depart from the bureau. Although I have not associated with you much I am yet to come across a more dedicated and a resourceful person. Your commitment to the work you do will be missed by all of us and I am sure your successor will have a difficult time in doing what you did. Life must go on to achive certain goals in life and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family all the very best in all your future endevours. Please do let me know if ever you would need anything from this end.
Best personal regards
Pradeep

Subject: Jo Layton - Daily Mirror Newspaper to Sri Lanka
From: "Bazeer Cassim" View Contact Details
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 23:45:33 +0600
Hi Jean-Marc
Thank you for all your support! Sri Lankan Tourism is blessed to have someone like you London!!
Good luck
Cassim

From: amallanka [mailto:amallanka@sltnet.lk]
Sent: 25 August 2007 08:47Subject:
Re: WTM 2008 and Meeting on 7th August
Dear Sir Jean Marc,
Many thanks for your email I am really glad that you get in touch with me all the time with news.
I am so happy that I know a person like you. you do a great job.
May god bless you and appreciating your admirable service.
Amal Weerasinghe

Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:26:38 +0530
From: "Gemini Tours & Travels"
Subject: Good Luck for 2008 from Sri Lanka Tourism UK
Dear Jean-Marc,
Thank you for all the hard and productive efforts you made in 2007.
We wish you a very healthy wealthy peaceful happy and prosperous 2008 !
With kind regards from
Tony and Rushana and the Gemini Team

Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:10:34 +0530
From: "Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne"
Subject:Good Luck for 2008 from Sri Lanka Tourism UK
Dear Jean-marc,
Congratulations. I know what a strong part you have played in getting us the media coverage which in turn drives clients to the tour operators.Well done.
Gehan

From: "Rajeev Aloysius"
CC: "Mr Michael Elias Walkers Tours"
Subject: Re: The FastTrack Special
Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2007 18:06:46 +0530
Superb Jean-Marc,
I actually saw this while on vacation in Italy, and was very impressed at the quality of the pitch for Sri Lanka. Perhaps the interviewees could have spoken better English, but otherwise it seemed like quite a coup to have Sri Lanka only for a half hour on BBC World's one-and-only popular travel programme. I wonder if something similar can be done on RAI Uno DW-WORLD, TF1 or the Travel Channel.
Warm Regards,
Rajeev


Date: Mon, 01 Oct 2007 15:29:30 +0530
From: "Shiromal Cooray"
Subject: A series of articles on Sri Lanka begins
Well done Mr. Flambert. Thanks again, this is actually priceless!
Shiromal

Date: Mon, 03 Sep 2007 21:03:49 +0530
From: "Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne"
Subject: London Visit
Dear Jean-marc,
A quick note upon my return to thank you once again for two very successful press relations sessions in Victoria.I do hope your successor will be as pro-active as you. Best wishes
Gehan
Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne BSc (Eng), ACGI, ACA (England & Wales)
CEO - Jetwing Eco Holidays (& Director EcoTourism - Jetwing Hotels)
Jetwing House46/26 Nawam MawathaColombo 02Sri Lanka
Tel: + 94-11-234 5700 or + 94-11-238 1201 Fax:++94-11-2 471 4828. eco@jetwing.lk, http://www.jetwingeco.com/

Date: Fri, 01 Jun 2007 15:47:20 +0530
CC, "Hiran Cooray" , "Shiromal Cooray" , "Sanjiva Gautamadasa"
From: "Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne"
Subject: Sri Lanka on Travel Channel June 2007
Dear Jean-marc,
Thanks. We would not have got footage for Lighthouse and Vil Uyana if you had not been so kind enough as to bring them for our 'drinks with media' sessions.Best wishes,
Gehan


Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 21:14:44 +0530
From: "Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne"
Subject: Media Sessions - Thanks
Dear Jean-marc,
I am back and now the hard work of doing the follow ups begin. But first a thank you once again for making the media sessions in the UK such a success.It was brilliant to have people like Jill Williams Travel Editor of the Sunday Mirror, Pippa Jacks from TTG, Steve Hills from Wildside Productions, Gavin Thomas & Edward Aves from Rough Guides etc. I managed to meet over a dozen key people from the media on the three days I had in London. Thanks for all your help. Gehan
Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne BSc (Eng), ACGI, ACA (England & Wales)
CEO - Jetwing Eco Holidays & Director Eco Tourism
- Jetwing HotelsJetwing House, 46/26, Nawam Mawatha, Colombo 02 , Sri Lanka
Tel: ++94-11-2345700 or ++94-11-2381201 Fax:++94-11-2 471 4828. eco@jetwing.lk, http://www.jetwingeco.com/

Food and Travel April 2008

Food and Travel explored the culinary delights of Sri Lanka in Feb '08. See some of the 8 pages on Sri Lanka.

Wanderlust Magazine Dec'07/Jan'08

Lizzie Mathews visited Sri Lanka in late 2007 and captured elements of Sri Lanka which many people do not know about - off the beaten track.

Luxury Travel Magazine Features Sri Lanka

The Luxury Travel Magazine featured Sri Lanka in the Feburary 2008 issue.

Social Networking

Social Networking has played an important part in my integration into the UK.

Some of the key tools used include :

Face Book
www.facebook.com
Registered a personal face book page which has over 500 members, and one under “Sri Lanka” where instead of a picture of me, I have a map of Sri Lanka.

You Tube
Have used this very successfully to attract over 20,000 views.
www.youtube.com/JeanMarcFlambert
This is also a source for videos on www.srilankatourism.org.uk (as at 1st April 08)
Travel Weekly wrote an article about this as we were the first Tourist Board in the UK to use You Tube in this way.

TTG Live
www.ttglive.com
The leading trade paper.

Linked In
www.linkedin.com/in/jeanmarcflambert

Sri Lanka Weekend with First Choice

Sri Lanka Tourism tied up with 4 First Choice hyper markets in Gateshead, South Hampton, North Hampton and Crayford. Over 400 consumers visited each day and the 10-14 staff on duty at each mega store were also trained.