The Digital Evolver program is part of our efforts to help revitalize Sri Lanka’s tourism sector - an industry deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is clear to us that leveraging digital has never been more important for the tourism industry than now. Whether it is improving their operations, channel management, digital presence, online marketing, tourism businesses need to focus on strategies that can help them thrive in the post-pandemic era. This program focused on enhancing the digital capabilities of the selected participants while also gearing them up to foster well-being of the local communities and environments in their host destinations.
Good Life X
GLX Digital Evolver for purpose driven tourism companies
Rooting for purpose driven change, one company at a time
Sector
Tourism
Gearing up the small players in the Sri Lankan travel sector to digitally evolve and become future proof
Duration
3 months
June to August 2021
Expert Hours
3,236hrs
A team of cross functional experts came together to create innovative interventions in the travel and tourism sector
Seed funding
10M
10 Million LKR of seed capital by means of service or product procurement for digital enhancements
GLX in motion
Get to know our evolvers better!
10 companies who are shifting the needle in their own way to #scalethegood
Participants
Meet the 10 Sri Lankan travel and tourism companies that embraced change amidst the pandemic and made themselves future ready
Gileemalee Walawwa
Located at the base of Adams Peak, Gileemalee Walawwa provides tourist accommodation in a 300 year-old ancestral home. The team offers guests sustainable agri tourism experiences, in addition to yoga and bird watching. Watch here
Summer Explorers Pvt Ltd
Summer Explorers is a young destination management company offering customized sustainable tour packages. They are certified by Travelife as a sustainable tour operator. Watch here
Eco Grip
Eco Grip is an expedition company offering travellers exciting kayaking excursions, in addition to a host of other outdoor excursions such as stand up paddleboarding, mountain biking and rappelling. Watch here
The Travel Concierge
Offering guests tailor made holidays in Sri Lanka, the Travel Concierge is a locally owned and operated destination management company. Watch here
Rediscover Sri Lanka
Rediscover Sri Lanka is an inbound travel company that specializes in experiential active travel with a focus on authenticity and sustainability. Watch here
Detroves Travel
Detroves Travel is a well-experienced boutique travel agency that offers tour packages, transport and activities in Sri Lanka. Watch here
Nandana Tea Factory
Although the primary business of Nandana Tea Factory is manufacturing and processing tea, the company also offers tea tours to travellers, in addition to operating two tourist accommodation spaces. Watch here
Eco Team Sri Lanka
Eco Team is a specialist in wildlife tourism and experiential travel. The company also offers unique tented accommodations and lodges in Sri Lanka. Watch here
Infinity Vacations
Infinity Vacations is a destination management company that offers customized tour packages to Sri Lanka, with a special focus on young adult travellers. Watch here
Jungle Beach Camp Ahungalla
Offering the guests the best of both the jungle and the beach in Sri Lanka, Jungle Beach Camp is the first beach glamping site on the south-west coast of the island. Watch here
Meet our experts
Pascal Gavotto
Lead Tourism Strategy & Business Sustenance Consultant
Niranka T. Perera
Lead Digital Consultant
Naveen Marasinghe
Lead Digital Consultant
Sandya Salgado
Communications & Brand Strategy
Dinesh Perera
Digital Content Strategy
Rasanjana Vidanagama
Branding & Operations
Irantha Chandika Rajapakse
eCommerce & Channel Distribution
Dishan Jothilingam
Channel Management
Lonali Rodrigo
Sustainability Practices in Business
Deshika Rodrigo
Executive Coach
Sri Lanka’s agri-food startups have what global markets need; GLX is here to help get them there
27 January 2021
As the world trends on urbanisation and nutrition, shifting gears with the new realities presented to us...
“The outcome was much more than I ever expected. Both the business and myself have been shaken up and down, left and right, in and out. And the results are brilliant, awesome, fantastic, and incredibly professional. I feel very confident and even though we are a small establishment with only 4 bungalows we feel we are an important part of the industry.“
Sri Lanka
Sameera Liyanagamage
Eco Grip - Director
“Before this program we were only relying on B2B for foreign tourists and B2C for locals. and we never focused on OTAs and online booking platforms. Thanks to the program we are now present in VIATOR, AIR BNB and many more platforms. it was a huge eye opener. We also never took our website seriously but thanks to the panel of expertise we are now having a fully functioning website.“
Sri Lanka
Laahiru Jayamanne
The Travel Concierge - Managing Director
“The programme will help us start a new revenue line which will come very handy in our restart. With the help of the knowledge we gained and the e-commerce site we are developing, our whole dependency on B2B will now divert to a portion of B2C business.“
Sri Lanka
Chandima Wanasinghe
Rediscover Sri Lanka - Co-Founder
“The outcomes have been beyond our expectations. Not only do we have a good understanding of digital practices but also equipped with a booking engine, a new and responsive website in the making, a promotional video that beautifully shares our concept and different means of selling such as OTAs.We are looking forward to gradually expanding our services and get the full use of having these facilities.“
Sri Lanka
Garwin Murray
Detroves Travels - Director
“We made excellent progress digitally. We have started to develop our eCommerce platform and also included our programs on OTA's. Through the eCommerce development, we hope to increase our B2C business in 2022. We feel we have leaped frogged our way in the digital platform after the program.“
