‘Meet in Sri Lanka’ MICE tourism promotion in Dubai

Tuesday, 4 November 2014 00:34 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and SriLankan Airlines in coordination with the Sri Lanka Consulate General in Dubai organised a ‘Meet in Sri Lanka’ road show to promote the country as a Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) destination. More than 80 tour operators in UAE attended the promotion event.

Country Representative of SriLankan Airlines made a presentation on SriLankan Airlines and Sri Lanka Convention Bureau Senior Manager Achini Dandunnage made a comprehensive presentation on MICE tourism, highlighting Sri Lanka as an ideal location for MICE. Sri Lanka has now been promoted abroad as one of the major attractive destinations for foreign travelers to visit the country. In 2013 more than one million tourists visited Sri Lanka. In 2014, it is anticipated that the target figure will reach two million by December and it will grow to 2.5 million in 2015. Of the foreign tourists visited the country, 15% of foreigners are visiting Sri Lanka for MICE tourism.

Sri Lanka is a hub in airline traffic with many airlines operating to Sri Lanka. In comparison with many other competing destinations, foreign visitors prefer visiting Sri Lanka for value for money in addition to any foreign travellers could now get visas online. Sri Lanka offers all modern facilities to Conferences, Exhibitions and Events with state-of-the-art conference and exhibition centres. Moreover, Sri Lanka is a unique destination which offers diversity of attractions from beaches, mountains, wild life to ancient cities. M.M. Abdul Raheem, Consul General of Sri Lanka in Dubai inaugurated the event and remarked that Sri Lanka is now the safest destination for MICE tourism. He invited all UAE tour operators to work with Sri Lanka Mission in Dubai, Convention Bureau and the SriLankan Airlines who would facilitate the requirements of corporate sectors and individual clients. Dubai being a financial and trading hub, many multinational companies is housed in Dubai and it would be more competitive for them to organise meetings and conferences in Sri Lanka as flying hours are only four hours from Dubai.

A Cultural troupe from the National Youth Services Council entertained the audience with a traditional Sri Lankan cultural presentation. Eight Sri Lankan tour operators were part of the delegation at the road show in Dubai.