Sri Lanka Convention Bureau launches three-year road map for MICE tourism
Daily FT: The first-ever MICE tourism road map, outlining a visionary three-year plan for 2024- 2026 was unveiled by the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) recently.
The Bureau has outlined its ambitious target for 2026, aiming to generate 20% of tourist arrivals through MICE activities, projecting an 11% increase in MICE arrivals from 2023.
One of the distinctive features of this initiative is the unprecedented collaboration between the public and private sectors, marking a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s tourism development.
The Bureau engaged industry experts, met with key representatives of industry bodies, and organized a productive huddle with Key Opinion Leaders (KOL) to gather insights and perspectives.
The Bureau initiated ideation sessions with extended teams to ensure a holistic approach, delving into key topics identified during the KOL discussions. The outcome of these sessions has been compiled into a detailed report, defining responsibilities and action items for seamless implementation.
SLCB Chairman Thisum Jayasuriya expressed optimism about the project’s potential impact.
“This road map is a testament to our commitment to fostering MICE tourism in Sri Lanka. Through collaboration, industry expertise, and a clear action plan, we aim to not only meet but exceed our targets, positioning Sri Lanka as a premier MICE destination,” he added.
OSL take:
The steady growth in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has resulted in the local authorities exploring more tourism concepts to promote in foreign markets. With Sri Lanka working towards becoming an emerging business destination in the South Asian region and the ongoing economic activities have prompted local authorities to promote Sri Lanka as a MICE destination. Sri Lanka’s geographical positioning in the Indian Ocean also serves to its advantage in being promoted as a MICE destination in the South Asian region. The ongoing expansion in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has opened up a host of new business/investment opportunities in the industry, especially in the leisure and hospitality sectors as well as in the development of supplementary infrastructure facilities required by the industry to meet the growing demand. Many international leisure and hospitality sectors have entered Sri Lanka while some others have expressed interest in entering the industry. Given the expanding opportunities and growing business potential, foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore the opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20231207/Z_2 |