SL Conventions Bureau seeks 10% of Indian outbound MICE market
View(s):Meetings and Conventions into Sri Lanka particularly from India were stagnant in the past two years due to inadequate targeted marketing and perceived high pricing in comparison to regional competitors.
Sri Lanka Conventions Bureau CEO Vipula Wanigasekara speaking with the Business Times said they had observed a slide in the momentum in the last two year from one of the biggest MICE markets, India due to ineffective promotions.
“We want just 10 per cent of the corporate segment for the next two years from India (outbound Indian MICE market),” Mr. Wanigasekara said. He noted that there were mega promotional campaigns carried out in India but it was pointed out that corporate meetings market needed a more focused approach to attract the right clientele.
But since the numbers coming into the country kept moving up there was a perception that the industry was doing well, he explained. In this respect, Mr. Wanigasekara felt the MICE industry could have lost about 20 per cent from the meetings segment and due to this they have revived a promotional push for this market of clients as well.
On the other hand the conferences and conventions and symposiums organised by corporates had brought in the right numbers, he said. The SLCB CEO also said that the lack of adequate exhibition space had contributed to a dearth in the number of these events that could be conducted in Colombo. In this regard, land in Battaramulla has been allocated by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) for which the SLCB would call for prospective investors to construct a multipurpose conference facility in October.
Incentive travel on the other hand, has been able to generate about 80,000 travellers to the country, it was pointed out and it is believed this segment of the MICE sector would continue to grow. As part of the targeted campaign the Conventions Bureau is eyeing meeting planners and incentive houses to act as intermediaries to send corporates to Sri Lanka, Mr. Wanigasekara explained.
In addition, the bureau would be meeting the corporate clients directly and ask them to choose Sri Lanka for their next meeting, he said. Moreover, it was pointed out that they need to offer value for money as well and some Indian clients had the perception that Sri Lanka was too high priced.
Mr. Wanigasekara explained that bringing down the high value spenders through MICE promotion was vital and those from India could be attracted through an aggressive marketing blitz. In addition to participation at road shows and trade fairs in India, SLCB will be holding a targeted marketing campaign in Delhi or Mumbai in October; and in Chennai, Kolkata and Ahmadabad in early December, he said. (Sunimalee)