“Welcome to Sri Lanka”, a travel documentary produced by British filmmaker Mark Julian Edwards, has won the “Television Broadcast of the Year” award at the Inspire Global Media Awards 2026, beating shortlisted entries from the BBC and Amazon TV.
The ceremony was held in London before what Sri Lanka Tourism described as a “packed room of media glitterati.” Judges highlighted the film’s depiction of authentic human experiences and destination narratives, selecting it from a competitive international field.
“The fascinating wildlife, culture, heritage, the fabulous food using ancient, medicinally beneficial recipes passed down through generations, and the landscapes and traditions were a joy to watch,” Edwards said. “Above all, it’s the warm, kind nature of the hospitable Sri Lankans that truly left an everlasting impression.”
Edwards visited Sri Lanka last year as part of a British Guild Media FAM Tour of 34 journalists organised by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB). The “Off the Beaten Path” press trip took participants to a range of wildlife, heritage and community-tourism sites across the country.
The recognition comes at a difficult time for Sri Lanka’s tourism sector. Arrivals have slowed 27 percent year-on-year in recent weeks as Middle East tensions disrupted Gulf carrier routes and dampened bookings from key European source markets. A high-profile BBC/Amazon-beating documentary offers a timely branding boost as SLTPB intensifies its destination campaigns in the UK and Europe.
