Meetings Industry

A silent contributor:

Vipula WANIGASEKERA

General Tourism whether it is eco, adventure, heritage, agri, wild life, sports or Honeymoon can have limitations in income levels as exclusive up scale visitors in any event are not as big as package travellers. There are boutique properties in Sri Lanka need to be promoted while bearing in mind that the market may not be large enough to have too many boutique hotels. MICE tourism finds the answer to the question of how to increase the 'value against the numbers'

BMICH - The first purpose built convention centre in the region which housed 83 world leaders in 1976

Countries turned to MICE tourism for this reason. Singapore and Malaysia, our closest examples, never looked back in their focus on MICE development since 80s and Sri Lanka was over relying on leisure with lucrative business coming from Europe and Scandinavia. Apart from that, the infrastructure did not develop on par with the giants due to the conflict. Time has now come to re think the tourism strategy in more practical sense.

The conferences and events in so far this year, such as Max New York Life, Toastmaster's Ovation, Ys men Asia Area Convention, Asia Productivity, would not have taken place in Sri Lanka if not for the tremendous effort of the local organizers and Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) a body under the Ministry of Tourism which played a crucial role through effective tailored communication, not only to bring in business but also to prevent cancellations due to the situation then.

Around 12 percent of the total visitors into Sri Lanka represent the MICE segment (meetings, incentive travel, conferences and exhibitions). MICE tourist is an up market visitor who spends three-four times over average holiday maker. MICE industry involves many support services generating considerable amount of direct and indirect employment and MICE travel encourages repeat holiday visits and other trade and investment transactions, not necessarily relevant to tourism.

This explains the level of state involvement in the development of the MICE sector in countries like Singapore, and Malaysia way before they launched tourism campaigns' Uniquely Singapore; and Malaysia truly Asia'. True enough, the conflict in Sri Lanka prevented the infrastructure development that MICE industry calls for to meet international standards of events.

Positioning Sri Lanka internationally as a recognized venue for 'Meetings' requires a different approach unlike the branding of countries for general tourism. Here the customers are associations, institutions, executive committees, corporates. Country's image does matter for higher delegate attendance but again the opinion leaders will do the needful if the communication methods and modes are right.

SLCB's research division works continuously locating and spotting the events that have the potential of being brought to Sri Lanka. SLCB works closely with relevant local institutions to attract these events and this area is a key function of the Bureau. This is a futuristic activity and when the event eventually comes to Sri Lanka, Bureau has moved onto working with other organisations to bid for events to come in three-four years time.

However, the main trust of the Bureau had been to promote the region for Corporate Meetings , and India in particular. SLCB took a bold step to strengthen activities in India in the latter part of 2007 with SriLankan Airlines and promote the corporate meetings market aggressively. The limited funds were diverted for this venture which has brought in more than desired results. Since then most of the Indian blue chips including Sony Erickson, WIPRO , Virtusa , Titan, BOSCH, , Microsoft, Coca Cola, TVS, Johnsen and Johnsen, Nestle, Nokia, General Electric , Pepsicola, Reckitt Benckiser, Samsung, Amway have chosen Sri Lanka for their meetings.

The most recent promotions in India with SriLankan Airlines have generated immediate business and the industry now says 'Sky is the limit' from the Indian market bearing in mind that the Indian market is price sensitive. The reason is obvious with long haul travel being affected by the economic set back and Sri Lanka's profile, proximity, value and diversity cannot be matched by other competitors, if conveyed to Indian Corporates and Travel agents effectively particularly the small segments such as board meetings, planning sessions.

Communication functions of the Bureau ranges from Developing innovative and creative methodologies to reach out to identified but untapped markets to Joint promotions with the Sri Lankan Airlines, country promotions, lobbying the opinion leaders of associations and institutions, attending MICE fairs, organizing familiarization tours. SLCB carries out this task with an overall budget of around Rs 35 million from the TDF annually.

SLCB is eagerly awaiting the completion of Hambantota Convention centre which was a long awaited effort on the part of the Government of Sri Lanka after the first purpose built convention centre in Colombo - BMICH. Marina Bay project in Singapore is an adequate testament for the market potential for this region in the coming years. SLCB funded a visit for UDA officials ( working on Hambantota project) to Hyderabad Convention centre on a study tour recently and this is rated as the most successful convention centre in Asia in the last years.

Sri Lanka will soon reach the peak in MICE with the dawning of total peace into the country. Until the planned infrastructure is added to the inventory in Kandy, Jaffna, and the East, Meetings industry has to settle with this limitation for a while, in which some efforts may be diverted to Incentive Travel Market which brings in a higher premium over holiday tours.