SriLankan Airlines has won a Gold Award in the “Marketing-Carrier” category at the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Awards 2024, held in Bangkok on August 28, 2024. This accolade highlights the global recognition of the airline’s marketing efforts. The award was given for the “Colours of Jaffna” campaign, a pioneering initiative that exclusively showcases the vibrant northern region of Sri Lanka. The campaign's significance is underscored by CNN's recent recognition of Jaffna as one of Asia's most underrated destinations.
This year, PATA recognized 24 travel and tourism entities from a competitive pool of 100 global entries, evaluated by a panel of 23 industry experts.
The “Colours of Jaffna” campaign stands out as one of SriLankan Airlines’ most successful endeavors, achieving over 14,000,000 social media impressions and more than 500,000 engagements.
Saminda Perera, Head of Marketing at SriLankan Airlines, expressed gratitude: “We are deeply thankful for the support from our management, valued partners, and my team. Their encouragement made this achievement possible. We take pride in presenting Sri Lanka from new perspectives and are thrilled to receive industry-wide recognition for our efforts.”
The campaign’s visuals—both imagery and video—capture the rich colors of Jaffna, from its scenic waterfronts and historic fort to the vibrant temple interiors, local festivals, and cuisine. The accompanying rhythmic soundtrack mirrors the city's dynamic rhythm, balancing its serene and lively aspects.
In addition, SriLankan Holidays, the airline’s leisure division, has launched a range of holiday packages featuring Jaffna’s highlights, with Jetwing Hotels as the exclusive hospitality partner. Jetwing Hotels also received a PATA award this year, honored in the “Climate Change Initiative” category.