SRI LANKA SHOWCASES MICE STRENGTH as India takes centre-stage at MICE Expo

Sri Lanka hosted the fifth edition of its flagship B2B event targetting the business travel segment, the Sri Lanka MICE Expo, from September 22 to 26 in Colombo, bringing together over 100 international buyers and more than 110 local vendors. India was again at the centre of attention at the event aimed to position Sri Lanka as South Asia's leading destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE).

- TEXT & PHOTOS: PALAK CHAWLA

Keen to retain the momentum of growth in the inbound business and corporate travel segment, Sri Lanka hosted the 5th Sri Lanka MICE Expo 2025, a flagship event aimed at positioning the country as a leading regional destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE), from September 22 to 26.

Held in Colombo, the event, hosted by Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB), the national tourism body under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gathered over 116 hosted international MICE and travel operators, along with media representatives from 30 countries, to engage with more than 110 local vendors, highlighting the island's world-class event infrastructure, rich cultural heritage and business-friendly environment.

A lion's share of the hosted buyers and media at the event were from India, underlining the country's position as the largest source market for Sri Lanka's tourism sector, reaffirming its longstanding travel ties with the island nation. From January 1 to October 12, nearly 394,000 Indian visitors arrived in Sri Lanka, accounting for over 22 pc of total tourist arrivals, almost twice as large as the next biggest market, the United Kingdom.

The organisers emphasised the importance of the Indian market for Sri Lankan tourism industry broadly and said that the strong presence of Indian buyers at the expo was a testimony to the continued growth expected from the Indian market.