With an objective of welcoming two million international travellers by 2016, the convention and exhibition sector wants to seize its chance to turn Sri Lanka into a new exciting destination for MICE BANGKOK (Traveldailynews): Sri Lanka is slowly emerging as a desirable destination for world travellers, following the return of peace in the last decade. Growing popularity is observed through high growth rates of international travellers: last year, Sri Lanka received 1.274 million international visitors, a number up by 26.7% over 2012. Europe is Sri Lanka largest source market with 547,000 arrivals in 2013 followed by Asia with close to 510,000 tourists.
India remains Sri Lanka’s largest inbound travel market with 209,000 travellers followed by the UK with 137,000 arrivals, Germany with 85,000 arrivals, the Maldives with 79,000 arrivals and France with 64,000 arrivals. Over the next years to come, Asia is likely to gain market shares, particularly with a strong growth from China (up by 96% last year to 54,000 arrivals) as well as rising interest from the Middle East and from Russia. At this tempo, Sri Lanka is likely to hit a target of two million international visitors by 2016. With the local industry now looking at hitting slightly over two million tourists target by 2016 – an earlier target set up in 2010 to reach 2.5 million travellers is unlikely to be achieved now. As expected foreign exchange earnings could then reach US$ 2.5 billion, developing high revenue-generating travel segments is more important than ever.
Authorities are consequently looking at targeting the MICE industry. The Sri Lanka Convention Bureau which is under the Ministry of Economic Development. The mission of the SLCB is to position Sri Lanka internationally as a value for money destination for MICE activities and to receive optimum revenue from MICE tourism in order to make a positive contribution to Sri Lanka’s economy in creating employment thereby uplifting the living standards of those engaged directly and indirectly in the ‘Meetings Industry’ in Sri Lanka. Last year, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau General Manager Vipula Wanigasekera highlighted at the ‘SriLankan Holidays and SriLankan MICE Conference 2013’ how the country will be more effective at targeting MICE business. Quality is of utmost importance according to SLCB agenda: upgraded infrastructure to meet industry requirements, transport solutions to ensure speedy and convenient travel, easy access to attractions, well-coordinated and effective marketing, international quality standards for products and manpower requirements. Work is also conducted on speeding up immigration clearance at airports with dedicated counters for foreign travellers, hassle free taxi service at airports, trained tour guides, well-coordinated Tourist Police as well as higher standards for guest houses and small hotels.
“We have also worked on identifying the target markets and customers and have focused promotional campaigns in chosen markets. Such work helps strengthen links with international tour associations,” he said. “While the Government takes on the planning, policy making role while providing common infrastructure and identifying new tourism areas, the private sector must identify and invest into new business opportunities, build capacity, train staff and improve service standard as well as continuously create value added products and market year-round capacity management,” declared Wanigasekara. Recently the SLCB has been able to successfully bid to host the GCRA, International Conference on Media – hosted last February – as well as the World Blood Donors Day next June and next November the International Conference on Obstetrics and Gynaecology (FIGO). FIGO will bring over 1,000 medical professionals into the country, including world renowned researchers, academicians and speakers. Sri Lanka is also bidding to host Asian Youth Games in Sri Lanka in 2017.
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