Batticaloa to see a new era through ‘BITE 2011’

Batticaloa will see the dawn of a new beginning when it showcases the Batticaloa International Trade Exhibition (BITE) 2011 on 6, 7 and 8 October 2011.

The event is the result of a joint initiative taken by the Batticaloa District Chamber of Commerce under the guidance of the National Enterprise Development Authority.

BITE 2011 is exclusively organised by the region’s premier Exhibition and Conferences organiser, Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services (LECS).

Batticaloa offers a wide range of facilities for businesses working as a central location for its surrounding towns and villages such as Kalmunai, Valachchenai, Pasikudah, Kalkudah, Oddamavadi, Kattankudi and Samanthurai. It is the home of many an industry and is considered the focal point of trade and one of the main access points to the Ampara, Monaragala, Polonnaruwa and Badulla Districts in their day-to-day trading.

LECS Director Imran Hassan stated: “The city itself is the hub and with the mega development projects going on in the area there is a great demand for suppliers.

It is this gap that we are trying to fill by facilitating this initiative.”

Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services is no stranger in venturing into alien grounds.

The trade fair held in Jaffna titled ‘The Jaffna Trade Fair’ in January 2011, for a period of three days, was the first of its kind in post war Sri Lanka and drew over 30,000 visitors.

The participants were the top businesses in the country and the region all showcasing their product portfolio under one roof for the public of Jaffna. The resounding success in a region many would not have found conducive has prompted LECS in its initiative at ‘BITE 2011’ to be held at the hub of the eastern part of the island.

The economic potential of the lagoon and its surroundings – as the hub for the fisheries and the agriculture industries together with the booming potential for the tourist and hospitality industries – are yet to be realised fully.

The Government-backed mega development projects such as ‘Nagenahira Navodaya’ have brought in a breath of fresh air to the east.

The private sector of the country have also moved in to the vicinity and have commenced work on many development projects and services that have brought a sense of stability and sustainability to the east.

Unlike in the north at the time, the east is rich in its resources and infrastructure and has all necessary ingredients to conduct a fair of this magnitude.

Hassan stated: “Over 70% of the stalls are already full. We are getting an unbelievable response from all the participants and members alike.

Batticaloa I believe is going to see one of the best events ever to be held in the country.”

LECS is passionate about the community and is seeking “to develop the standards of living in the east by introducing modern technology and trends which is of great importance to a region that has been neglected for over three decades.

The exposure will give a new lease of life to the community increasing their economic efficiency and would provide the community with an education of modern methods, services and products used elsewhere in the world in their chosen industries.”

The Batticaloa International Trade Exhibition will bring in the best out of agriculture, fisheries, construction, automobile and much more under one roof and will provide the people in the east with a chance to be a part of an event that is world class.