The Sri Lankan Convention Bureau (SLCB) and SriLankan Airlines (SLA), together in partnership, under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism and Lands, recently announced the official launch of “MICE – EXPO 2023” at a special press conference. The event, which is a MICE tradeshow for promoting Sri Lanka as the perfect destination for Meetings, Incentive Travels , Conferences, and Exhibitions/Business Events (MICE), is set to take place from the 13th to the 15th of March 2023, at the Shangri La Colombo. Minister of Tourism and Lands, Hon. Harin Fernando MP, Chairman of the SLCB, Thisum Jayasuriya and General Manager of Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, Krishantha Fernando, all addressed the media at the press conference and discussed how and why Sri Lanka is the perfect MICE destination, and why there is a crucial need to promote and position the country well to a global audience.
MICE – EXPO 2023 will host over 100 participants from South East Asia, the Middle East and Europe, attracting some of the largest travel agencies and groups in the industry. Majority of the buyers are confirmed from India , one of the leading MICE outbound market, where Sri Lankan Airlines operates more than 75 flights per week. Most of the hosted buyers will be flown by the National Carrier, Sri Lankan Airline. The Expo aims to promote Sri Lanka as Business event destination, in an effort to grow tourism revenues and increase foreign currency inflows into Sri Lanka, by leveraging the high-quality MICE traveller segment who, on average, spend up to 3 times more than leisure and other tourist segments.
Commenting on this milestone initiative, Mr. Harin Fernando, Hon Minister f Tourism & Lands aid, “We are thrilled to launch MICE – EXPO 2023, and we are confident that it will be a resounding success and an ongoing platform to create international awareness about Sri Lanka’s potential. In addition to promoting Sri Lanka as Business event destination, MICE – EXPO 2023 also aims to provide a platform for local partners as sponsor exhibitors, and we invite all interested parties to sign up with us. With the expected footfall and diverse crowd anticipated at the event, this will be a huge opportunity for local service providers to gain global exposure, and attract new customers. We also believe that this collaborative effort will help to increase Sri Lanka’s external earnings and ease the pressure on our foreign reserves, particularly as a result of the major global travel agencies expected to attend.”
The organizers also intend to use MICE – EXPO 2023 as a platform to create awareness, in general, about the value that Sri Lanka has to offer the world, for MICE, tourism, investment and other purposes. Sri Lanka is a destination that offers the perfect blend of natural beauty, culture, and history, making it an ideal location for events and conferences, leisure and growth investments. The island is home to world-class infrastructure and facilities, including state-of-the-art convention centres, hotels, and resorts, with much planned for the future, including mega developments such as Port City Colombo, which will be a global MICE, financial services, commercial, entertainment, leisure and investment hub for the entire South Asian Region.
“This is a great opportunity for us to showcase, not just Sri Lanka, but also an excellent example of what partnerships and synergies can create,” added Mr. Thisum Jayasuriya, Chairman, SLCB “Working together, united by the goal of building brand Sri Lanka in the global marketplace, we look forward to welcoming MICE Travellers from around the world to experience the authentic & diverse product that country could offer.
SLCB also announced their future plans for MICE – EXPO at the press conference, which include taking the event regional around Sri Lanka, specifically to Jaffna, and making it an annual event, to create further ongoing positive impacts for the country. For more information, including to book stalls and sponsorships, please contact General Manager, SLCB gmslcb@srilanka.travel
