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| Sunday, 19 January 2003 |
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Travel brochure to promote MICE tourism The first travel brochure on MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) titled 'Meet Sri Lanka' was launched by SriLankan Airlines last week. The airline, the Sri Lanka Conventions Bureau and local professional conference organisers (PCOs) are actively promoting the niche market of MICE travel. The brochure is one such activity planned by the promoters. The comprehensive brochure spanning 27 pages describes Sri Lanka's many attractions in detail. It has an introduction to the island as a destination for MICE tourism, positions SriLankan Airlines as a business carrier, promotes conference and exhibition centres and MICE facilities at five-star hotels and introduces PCOs who handle the ground arrangements of a conference. The book provides brief descriptions of beaches, culture, ayurveda, adventure spots and facilities offered by the country for incentive travellers. It also details the facilities that SriLankan Airlines offers MICE tourists. MICE tourism accounted for 12 per cent of Sri Lanka's total inbound tourism market and plans are afoot to increase this to 15 per cent of the total tourism market. SriLankan Airlines has geared itself to provide the requirements of an official airline for MICE events. The airline has a MICE unit dedicated to promoting the high yield market segment to travel to Sri Lanka and its other key MICE destinations in South East Asia. The unit primarily focuses on promoting Sri Lanka as a destination for MICE events and positioning SriLankan Airlines as the official airline for such events. Among the facilities offered to MICE tourists are special airfares to delegates, rebated tickets to keynote speakers and conference organisers, promotion of conferences through its worldwide offices, meeting and assisting delegates on arrival, separate group check-ins during departure, special inflight services and announcements and reconfirmation facilities at the conference venues. "Our aim is to sell Sri Lanka as the ideal MICE destination which has modern facilities for holding these events as well as offering MICE tourists the opportunity of enjoying an extended holiday in the country," said G.T. Jeyaseelan, Head of Commercial SriLankan Airlines. Daya Pelpola, Chairman SriLankan Airlines said the airline spends over Rs 300 million per year to promote the country. He added that tourism is not the monopoly of one sector, but rather a collective effort. Among the plans to promote MICE tourism in 2003 are allocating a promotional budget of Rs 15 million, additional roadshows and destination presentations in Kuala Lumpur and Dubai, participation at IMEX Frankfurt, bidding for international conferences and setting up a web page for MICE travel by April. |
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| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
