Circul8 Becomes Sri Lanka Tourism’s First Australian Creative Agency for a Six-Month Campaign

Circul8 Becomes Sri Lanka Tourism’s First Australian Creative Agency for a Six-Month Campaign

Campaign Brief identifies the pictured agency and GTI representatives as Phil Watson, Creative Strategy Partner at Circul8; Julie Floyd, Head of Production at Circul8; Jessica Cory, Account Director at GTI; and Abbey Sands, Client Service Director at GTI. Photograph: Campaign Brief.

Independent creative agency Circul8 has been appointed by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) as Sri Lanka Tourism’s first creative agency in Australia, establishing a new commercial link between the island’s national tourism organisation and the Australian advertising, travel and media industries.

The appointment followed a competitive tender process and will see Circul8 lead a six-month Australian campaign beginning in October 2026. The campaign is intended to build awareness and consideration of Sri Lanka as a travel destination, while encouraging more Australians to explore its cultural, environmental and hospitality assets.

For eLanka’s Australian readership, the appointment is significant not only as a tourism marketing development, but also as an example of the expanding professional and commercial relationship between Australia and Sri Lanka. The campaign will be supported by GTI Tourism, which will lead public relations and the travel trade programme, creating a partnership that combines creative development, media engagement, industry outreach and destination promotion.

AI-generated illustration depicting a Sydney creative agency studio developing a Sri Lanka tourism campaign mood board. Image: eLanka.

Australian visitation provides the commercial context

The appointment comes as interest in Sri Lanka among Australian travellers continues to rise. More than 32,000 Australians visited Sri Lanka during the first three months of 2026, representing an 18.3 per cent increase compared with the corresponding period in 2025, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.

Growth was particularly strong in March, when Australian visitation increased by 24.2 per cent compared with March 2025. These figures provide a clear commercial context for the campaign, as Sri Lanka Tourism seeks to convert growing awareness and travel interest into sustained consideration among Australian consumers.

The Australian market is also supported by improving air connectivity. Jetstar now operates non-stop services from Melbourne, while SriLankan Airlines provides non-stop services from Sydney and Melbourne. The combination of direct air access, increased destination interest and a dedicated marketing programme is expected to strengthen the visibility of Sri Lanka among Australian travellers and travel advisers.

Buddhika Hewawasam, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, said:

> ‘Australia is an important market for Sri Lanka, and the strong growth we are seeing in Australian visitors demonstrates the increasing appetite to discover our country.’

He added:

> ‘Sri Lanka offers Australian travellers an incredible diversity of experiences – from our culture, wildlife and natural landscapes to our beaches, cuisine, wellness and warm hospitality. Through this new partnership with Circul8 and GTI, we look forward to building on this momentum, strengthening Sri Lanka’s presence in the Australian market and inspiring even more Australians to experience our island.’

The remarks position Australia as an important growth market for Sri Lanka Tourism, while also highlighting the breadth of experiences that the campaign is expected to communicate. Rather than presenting Sri Lanka through a single tourism theme, the strategy will have the opportunity to connect culture, wildlife, landscapes, beaches, food, wellness and hospitality into a more complete destination narrative.

Circul8 brings international destination experience

The partnership expands Circul8’s growing international destination portfolio and builds on more than two decades of experience in tourism brand development and marketing.

The agency’s previous work has included Tahiti Tourisme, the Japan National Tourism Organization, Tourism Fiji, Singapore Changi Airport, the Macau Tourism Office and the Marianas Visitors Authority. Its broader client experience has also included The Streets of Barangaroo, The Entertainment Quarter and the Sydney Opera House.

That background is particularly relevant to the Sri Lanka appointment because destination marketing requires more than attractive imagery. Effective campaigns must identify the reasons a market should pay attention, understand how travellers make decisions, communicate with travel professionals and create a distinctive identity that can remain consistent across advertising, public relations, trade activity and digital platforms.

Alana Stocks, Founder and Managing Director of Circul8, said:

> ‘I’ve spent some time in Sri Lanka over the past 12 months and every time I go back, I discover something new. You can be on safari seeing elephants one day, travelling through tea country the next and then be on an incredible beach eating fresh seafood. Add the spices, the history, wellness, adventure and genuinely warm people and there’s a lot for Australians to fall in love with.’

She added:

> ‘For us, the opportunity is to take all of that and find the stories that will really connect with Australian travellers and give them a reason to put Sri Lanka on their list. It’s a privilege to be Sri Lanka Tourism’s first Australian creative agency, and we’re excited to be working alongside GTI Tourism to help grow the destination here.’

AI-generated editorial illustration of Sri Lankan landscapes, wildlife and coastal experiences being shaped into a contemporary Australian destination campaign. Image: eLanka.

GTI to lead public relations and trade engagement

While Circul8 will lead the creative campaign, GTI Tourism will manage public relations and the travel trade programme. The division of responsibilities gives the campaign a practical industry structure, enabling creative communication to be supported by direct engagement with travel advisers, media organisations and content creators.

GTI plans to host a series of trade events, media visits and creator trips, with the activities designed to share information and first-hand stories about Sri Lanka’s culture, food, history and people. Such initiatives are important because travel advisers remain influential in helping consumers understand destination options, particularly when a country offers a broad range of products and experiences across different regions.

Sarah Anderson, Founder and Managing Director of GTI, said:

> ‘Sri Lanka is easier to access than ever before from Australia with Jetstar now flying non-stop from Melbourne, in addition to SriLankan Airlines’ non-stop services from Sydney and Melbourne.’

She also said:

> ‘We are delighted to help Australians learn about and discover this beautiful destination. We will be hosting a series of trade events as well as media and creator trips, all designed to share stories of Sri Lanka and its culture, food, history and people.’

For Australian travel professionals, the trade component could assist in translating general destination awareness into practical travel planning. For Sri Lanka, it provides an opportunity to ensure that the country’s diverse tourism offering is represented accurately and competitively within the Australian travel market.

AI-generated editorial illustration representing the commercial and creative connection between Sydney and Sri Lanka Tourism. Image: eLanka.

A developing Australia–Sri Lanka business relationship

The appointment reflects a wider pattern of commercial exchange between Australia and Sri Lanka, in which travel, aviation, marketing, media and professional services are becoming increasingly interconnected. Australian businesses are engaging with Sri Lankan institutions and brands, while Sri Lankan organisations are seeking specialist Australian expertise to reach consumers in a competitive market.

The Sydney relevance is especially clear. Sydney is home to a substantial Sri Lankan community, a major international airport and a well-developed network of travel, media, creative and business organisations. It is also one of the Australian cities with direct Sri Lankan Airlines connectivity, making it an important market for communication about holidays, family travel, cultural exploration and return visits.

For the global Sri Lankan community, the campaign may also carry an additional value: it can present Sri Lanka to Australian audiences through contemporary, professionally developed stories that recognise both the country’s heritage and its modern travel potential. The most effective destination campaigns are generally those that avoid reducing a country to a small number of familiar images and instead create a richer understanding of its people, regions, industries and experiences.

The six-month campaign will run from October 2026, with Circul8 responsible for the creative leadership and GTI Tourism managing public relations and trade engagement. Its performance will ultimately be measured by the extent to which the partnership strengthens awareness, improves consideration and contributes to continued growth in Australian travel to Sri Lanka.

For readers seeking Sri Lankan community news, business developments and Australia–Sri Lanka connections, eLanka continues to provide a dedicated digital platform connecting communities, organisations and businesses across Australia and globally.

Source: https://campaignbrief.com/sri-lanka-tourism-appoints-circul8-as-first-australian-creative-agency-alongside-gti/
Source: https://www.travelmonitor.com.au/sri-lanka-tourism-appoints-circul8-and-gti/
Source: https://www.adnews.com.au/news/circul8-appointed-sri-lanka-s-first-australian-creative-agency

This article was written based on the source https://campaignbrief.com/sri-lanka-tourism-appoints-circul8-as-first-australian-creative-agency-alongside-gti/, https://www.travelmonitor.com.au/sri-lanka-tourism-appoints-circul8-and-gti/ and https://www.adnews.com.au/news/circul8-appointed-sri-lanka-s-first-australian-creative-agency, kindly email us at info@eLanka.com.au if any information needs to be corrected.

eLanka Disclaimer

Content published on eLanka may be created by the eLanka team, submitted by contributors or third parties, reproduced or adapted from other sources with appropriate source acknowledgement, or provided as promotional/advertising material by our clients. While eLanka takes reasonable care in preparing and publishing content, we do not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Views expressed are those of the respective authors or contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of eLanka. Third-party contributors, content providers and advertisers are responsible for the accuracy of material they supply and for ensuring they hold the necessary rights and permissions for its publication. Advertising and promotional content should not be regarded as an endorsement by eLanka of any product, service or claim.