Photographic Exhibition in India to boost MICE tourism

Saturday, 30 July 2011 00:54 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka Consulate General in Mumbai in association with Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and L.B. Associates, New Delhi have launched an image building project in India to brand Sri Lanka as an emerging Meetings Incentives Conferencing Exhibitions (MICE) destination in the South Asian Region.

The project includes publishing of an exclusive Coffee Table Book illustrating the scenic beauty of the island, while reflecting current socio-economic development with broader views of the key players in the public and private sector, highlighting opportunities available for development in the island to upgrade as a MICE destination. The publication will be a vital source of information covering array of sectors including tourism, goods and services industry, financial and investment, for the potential entrepreneurs around the world, who are fervent to know the country’s future policy directions, business opportunities as well as tourists who wish to explore the miracles of the island.

In addition to the release of the Coffee Table Book, Mission has planned to organize several photographic exhibitions across major commercial cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Goa, Surat, Chennai, etc. The photographic exhibition will be organized in association with industry chambers, high end hotels, cultural organizations and art galleries across the country.

Exhibition will be combined with trade and investment promotion seminars, with the objective of attracting prospective investors to Sri Lanka in the coming months, while stimulating tourists to plan their visits to Sri Lanka. The exhibition is also expected to promote social and cultural relations while strengthening the foundation of economic cooperation between the two countries. Exhibition will remain open for 4-5 days at each destination.

The entire project is to be financed by public and private sector entities of both India and Sri Lanka. With the positive response from the business sectors of both countries, the project has been taken off and has reached some mileage. Three journalists from the L.B. Associates (Pvt) Ltd will be in Sri Lanka from 27 July to 9 August 2011 to discover the hidden charm of the Island for the photo exhibition as well as to have interviews with the key players of public and private sector organizations in Sri Lanka. The visit will pave the way for the journalists to ascertain firsthand experience on the current socio-economic renaissance of the island and to be aware of the ground realities of the reconciliation process.

The photographs will be captured by renowned Canadian photographer William Blair Hawke using his long- standing experience and modern techniques in photography to flash Sri Lanka’s beauty in the eyes of Indians and tourists around the world.

The Mission would like to pay its sincere gratitude to the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Sri Lankan Airlines, Export Development Board and Hotel Colombo Taj Samudra for their valued support and cooperation extended to the Mission to commence the project on time.