Convention Bureau lures MICE tourism from the Middle East at ATM

MICE TOURISM: A considerable amount of corporate meetings and incentives is generating from the Middle East and Sri Lanka Convention Bureau together with SriLankan Airlines will be making an effort to divert these events for Sri Lanka by educating corporates, meeting planners and Incentive Houses on the facilities available in Sri Lanka for MICE (Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions activities).

The economic boom in the Middle East makes the region as an emerging market for Sri Lanka’s meetings industry. With around $ 1 trillion investments in the pipeline for infrastructure development in the middle East which include the metros, man made islands, water bank project, over 100 new hotels in Arabian Peninsula, airport expansions, Convention centres, Formula 1 track, the economy is expected to grow at an unprecedented level.

With many corporates either in the establishment or expansion process, it will be an increasing preference to have meetings and events outside the Middle East and therefore MICE tourism from this region will also expand and many countries in the far east and Asia are competing to have major share of business in the coming years.

‘Although most corporates would be inclined initially to move towards the far east for their meetings and incentives mainly because of the level of infrastructure development and sophistication in their facilities, Sri Lanka will have its turn once the corporates are able to see the uniqueness in Sri Lanka with diversity of attractions’, in addition to the ability of the Sri Lankan MICE industry to hold events to the highest satisfaction of the participants, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau GM Vipula Wanigasekera said.

‘Creative incentives coupled with nature, culture and adventure offered in Sri Lanka have delighted the corporate visitors and this is one country which could offer a difference in whatever activity that could be tailor made to suit customer requirements.

Our MICE industry has long years of experience in bringing out many innovative programmes including for instance, a variety of options of team building exercises under soft, moderate and hard categories while strictly ensuring international safety methods,’ Wanigasekera said.

The Bureau has completed its participation at the Arabian Travel Market held in Dubai from May 1 to 4 as a co-exhibitor with Sri Lanka Tourist Board.

Arabian Travel market is the biggest Travel fair in the Middle East held with an objective of uniting key market players from six continents providing four days of intensive meetings and networking opportunities.

SLCB was able to meet most of the hosted MICE buyers attending ATM where they received all information on the Sri Lanka MICE industry. Positive results are expected from these meetings where Sri Lanka was effectively marketed against her competitors.