Micetalk

Sri Lanka means business

Sri Lanka is showcasing a variety of M!CE and events spaces for the Indian market and is keen on tapping the same, reveals Kumar De Silva, Chairman, SLCB

- Nisha Verma from Sri Lanka

Kumar De Silva, Chairman, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB), shares that after the April 21 attacks in Colombo, they want to showcase that the island is ready to receive tourists and there is no issue of safety and security in the island nation. “India is our largest source market for M!CE, both for us and from the Indian tourist point of view. We have a lot more to offer and it is a good time to show the agents the potential and diversity.”

He stressed that they see a lot of untapped potential in the Indian market. “It's not just Mumbai or North India, but we are focusing a lot on Southern India as well, which has got great potential. Recently we had roadshows in Chennai and Bengaluru. We are also going to Kolkata & East India, because we believe that there is a lot of traction we can gain from these events,” said De Silva.

Insisting that the primary role of the SLCB is to facilitate and support events, he said, “We primarily offer incentives which we believe could support the events, like a city tour or a dance troupe. But, recently we have introduced a proportion­al assistant scheme. However, that comes into effect only after the conference is confirmed in Sri Lanka. Otherwise, it becomes a part of the negotiatin­g tool and then it gets diluted.

Hence, there is a minimum three-night stay requiremen­t in Sri Lanka. Also, they need to operate through registered agents in Sri Lanka and stay at registered hotels. After that we will look at a reimbursem­ent of the event, which will be around 8-10 per cent of the accommodat­ion cost, based on the criteria that the event is directly related to M!CE.”

Another highlight is weddings, for which India is a huge market, and De Silva claims that Sri Lanka does become a venue for many of them. “The wedding industry is primarily being handled by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), but we are one product. When we have the opportunit­y of bringing in people to do M!CE as well as weddings, we want to showcase the combinatio­n of what they are also marketing, which could work for building the business for us.”

POTENTIAL MARKETS Besides Mumbai & North India, we are focusing on Southern India as well

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Kumar De Silva

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