Lanka in biggest ever push to woo MICE tourism

40-member team in Bangalore and Hyderabad with a special package to Indian Corporates

A 40 member strong delegation, led by Chairman of Sri Lanka Convention Bureau, Prema Cooray leaves for India on 5 September to cover the first leg of the Indian MICE Promotion in Bangalore and Hyderabad which is taking place from September 6 to 12.

The Bureau is carrying out this promotion in partnership with SriLankan Airlines, Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces and the MICE Industry in Sri Lanka. The campaign entails road shows, sales blitz, media related work and presentations to Indian Chambers. The SriLakan Airlines team is led by its head of world wide passenger services, Manoj Gunawardena.
The objective of the campaign is to create awareness of the meeting facilities in Sri Lanka among Indian Corporates and Travel Agents and induce them to take advantage of the special offer that will be lauched during this promotion. Indian Corporates are expected to take advantage of the offer and book Sri Lanka for their next conference, meeting, training and incentive programmes.

Industry and Association leaders are joining the delegation to the campaign in order to establish contacts with the Indian counterparts and Corporates and conduct business activities.
“In spite of the considerable number of Indian Corporate meetings presently held in Sri Lanka, there is a huge untapped market that will await the message of the Sri Lankan delegation,” said the General Manager of the Bureau Vipula Wanigasekera.  It is for this reason that the MICE Industry, the Hotels and DMCs joined hands with the Bureau and SriLankan Airlines to put together a special package for Indian Corporates which would be kept valid until end of the year.
The Sri Lankan delegation will enlighten the Indian Corporates and Travel Agents on the facilities available in different locations in Sri Lanka from the city to beaches, cultural triangle, wild life and mountains. This will enable the Indian corporate to choose from many options in order to achieve the objective of the meeting and incentive market.

India is not only the biggest market for Sri Lankan Tourism but also for MICE Tourism. Apart from the meeting facilities, the Indian visitor is also attracted by shopping, entertainment, Asian cuisine as well as visits to important places. The size of the Indian outbound MICE market is expected to be well over 800,000 out of the total 9 million outbound traffic by the year 2008. Sri Lankan MICE industry wishes to capture at least 10 % of this market through a series of promotional drives which have been designed in a more structured manner over a period of time encompassing the target audiences, creating awareness and interest leading to MICE business transactions beneficial to all partners in Sri Lanka and India.

Bags packed ready to go!

In addition to the Members of the Bureau, SriLankan Airlines, and TAJ Group Representatives in India, the following are participating in this promotion

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts: Mr Roshan Gurusinghe-Director Business Development

Ms. Padmi Fernando/ Asst. Director of Sales
Jetwing Group

Mr Hiran Cooray - Managing Director
Mr. Ravi Wisidagama - Manager Coporate Sales
Mr. Eraj Jayawardene -Manager - Jetwing Events
John Keels /Walkers
Mr. Wasantha Leelananda - Executive Vice President John Keells
Mr. Subanu Perera - Assitant Manager
Lanka Sportreizen
Mr.D.E.Sanjeewa Liyana Archchige - Assistant Manager
Hemtours (Pvt) Ltd
Ms. Natalie de Jong - Manager Conventions
Mr. Abbas Esufally - CEO
Mr. Dirk Grigson - Director
Mr. Susantha Wimalendra- Manager – Southern India & Middles East
Mr. Ranga Wijesinghe - Manager Nothern India
Serendib Leisure (pvt) Ltd
Mr.Srilal Miththapala, Director / CEO
Mr. Tyrone Rajapakse, Asst. Manager Reservation & Sales
Tangarine Beach Hotel
Mr.Fayad Bakir. Sales and Marketing Manager on Special events
Mt Lavinia Hotel
Mr. Bhupesh Kumar
Mr. Harinda Weerasinghe - Director Sales & Marketing
Aitkenspence Group
Mr. Anil Udawatte - Director Sales
Mr. Nalin Jayasundara- Director Sales Aitken Spence Travels
Taj Hotels & Resorts
Mr. Ram Maheshwari  - Director of Sales Taj Samudra,
Ms. Thushara Liyanarachchi – Director of Sales Taj Exotica
Ms. Anjali Karunaratne Commercial Sales Manager
Galle Face Hotel
Mr. Denzil Gunasekara - Manager Sales
United Holidays (Pvt) Ltd
Mr. Afgar Mohideen –Chairman / Managing Director
Ms. Gayangi Wirasinghe - Manager Marketing Development
Columbus Tours (Pvt) Ltd
Mrs. Yolande Anne Hansen -Managing Director
Ms. Nadine Samarawickrama- Manager Sales & Marketing