• Targets increase in MICE tourism share from 10-12% to 15% of total arrivals
• Plans underway to audit existing venues
• SLCB acknowledges challenges in tracking MICE tourism revenue
• SLCB, SLAPCEO to commence nationwide venue audit next week
• Colombo to host ‘MICE Expo 2025’ in June featuring over 100 global participants

Sri Lanka Tourism aims to increase the share of tourist arrivals from Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism to 15% of total tourist arrivals, with discussions ongoing considering the repurposing of Temple Trees to host MICE tourism events.

Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) Chairman Dheera Hettiarachchi revealed that they were looking to increase the share of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka from MICE tourism to around 15% of total tourist arrivals, up from the current levels of 10-12%. 

He further revealed that prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the share of MICE tourism had been as low as 5% of total tourist arrivals, adding that this growth signified the enormous potential of Sri Lanka.

He revealed that the SLCB did not have access to revenue figures derived from MICE tourism due to issues faced in data collection.

Elaborating further, Hettiarachchi stated: “Unfortunately, we do not have the exact statistics of tourist arrivals under MICE tourism at the moment. It is a challenge we are facing and we are working on it. We have asked all industry practitioners to provide us the statistics if they are organising any conference. 

“This is not for any other purpose such as taxation; it is solely for the purpose of having an idea of our MICE tourism numbers. Otherwise, without accurate statistics, we cannot forecast future tourist arrivals and set standards.”

Hettiarachchi further noted that by next week, the SLCB, together with the Sri Lanka Association of Professional Conference, Exhibition, and Event Organisers (SLAPCEO), would commence an audit of all existing venues in the country for MICE tourism, which involved considering the possibility of repurposing venues such as Temple Trees for MICE tourism.

“We will relook at the event venues we have, such as the BMICH and Temple Trees. Temple Trees, which has a seating capacity of nearly 4,500, is not open to the public, but it can be. We are currently having that discussion. 

“We will also look at the Hambantota Convention Centre and the Jaffna Cultural Centre, which are currently underutilised,” he stated. 

Hettiarachchi noted that Sri Lanka would be organising the fourth iteration of ‘MICE Expo 2025’ in June, scheduled to be hosted in Colombo, involving over 100 participants from countries across the globe and 15 media personalities. He added that Sri Lanka had previously hosted the ‘MICE Expo’ in Colombo, Jaffna, and Bentota.