International Congress and Convention Association to support Sri Lanka as a MICE destination
The government of Sri Lanka has stated that the country’s tourism industry has received the support from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) to recover from the Easter Sunday attacks last month.
“Sri Lanka is continuing to attract global support for the quick revival of its tourism industry which took a heavy blow following the terrorist attacks last month,” a statement from Sri Lanka’s Tourism Ministry has said.
The statement has noted that ICCA’s Asia Pacific Chapter had held a special meeting in Frankfurt, Germany, called by the association’s Regional Director for Asia Pacific Noor Ahmad Hamid, on the sidelines of the IMEX trade show for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) tourism.
The association had reportedly held the meeting to show solidarity with Sri Lanka and New Zealand, following terrorist attacks on the two countries.
A minute’s silence was observed when the entire Asia Pacific Region came together to back the two nations in their bid to support the recovery of tourism.
Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) Chairman Kumar De Silva has told 200 members of the association that the country in general and the tourism industry in particular were fast returning to normal.
He has said that every possible measure has been taken to ensure the safety of visitors and that the country was open for business, the statement has further noted.
De Silva has noted that none of Sri Lanka’s major tourism sites were affected by the attacks and that these places remained ready to welcome visitors.
SLCB which is the country’s apex convention organizer is making a determined push to establish Sri Lanka as a hub for MICE tourism in the South Asian region, the local media reported.
He has called on the industry to work together to overcome the challenge of global terrorism and invited industry leaders especially in the Asia Pacific region to visit Sri Lanka and witness firsthand how the country has recovered and is ready to welcome visitors.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is expected to bounce back to normalcy within two to three months following the negative impact experienced following last month’s Easter Sunday attacks. The government of Sri Lanka has already presented a relief package to the tourism sector and the hospitality industry has commenced upgrading their facilities in order to gear for the anticipated tourism boom in the next few months. International tourism organizations like UNWTO and ICCA have already expressed support to uplift Sri Lanka’s tourism sector. Given the building good will among the international community and recommencement of tourist arrivals to the country as well as the incentives offered by local authorities, Sri Lanka is a hotspot for foreign business/investment opportunities.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/23052019/Z_7 |