Sri Lanka Convention Bureau awarded ‘Best International MICE Destination Promotion’ at BLTM 2026

The Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) was honoured  with the prestigious title of ‘Best International MICE Destination Promotion’ at the Business Luxury Travel + MICE (BLTM) Trade Fair 2026, held at the India International Convention Centre (IICC – Yashobhoomi), New Delhi, from 2 to 4 September 2026.

Functioning under the Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment

and Tourism Ministry, SLCB successfully organised the Sri Lanka Pavilion at BLTM 2026, positioning Sri Lanka as a premier destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE).

BLTM is an exclusive annual three‑day travel mart dedicated to Business Luxury Travel and MICE tourism. The 2026 edition provided a dynamic platform for destination marketers and travel service providers to network with the Indian travel trade, attracting over 500 exhibitors, 300 hosted buyers, and more than 12,000 pre‑scheduled business meetings.

The event was inaugurated by Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation Managing Director Suneel Anchipaka, as Chief Guest, alongside Sri Lanka Convention Bureau Chairman Dheera Hettiarachchi as Guest of Honour. The inauguration was graced by distinguished members of the diplomatic community and senior industry leaders, including High Commissioner of, Sri Lanka to India Mahishini Colonne, Embassy of the Republic of Iraq Chargé d’Affaires Oday Hatim Mohammed, Royal Bhutanese Embassy Counsellor (Economic) Penday Dorji, High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi Minister Counsellor (Commercial) Kapila J. Kumara, Embassy of the Republic of the Congo Third Secretary Vivien Espoir Elengs Maloba, and Embassy of the United States of America Commercial Specialist Suhail Ahmed.

This year, 22 Sri Lankan travel and tourism industry participants joined the BLTM delegation. The national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, partnered with SLCB to further strengthen Sri Lanka’s positioning as a leading MICE destination.

As the Official Partner Country of BLTM 2026, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau sponsored the exhibition lanyards, ensuring prominent visibility of the country’s name throughout the event among visitors, hosted buyers, and exhibitors.

SLCB Chairman Dheera Hettiarachchi contributed at the Knowledge Session on the “Competing for the Indian MICE Market: What Makes a Destination Win?” held parallel to the BLTM  2026 and shared insightful thought on about how destination go  beyond conventional destination promotion and what does Sri Lanka need to deliver beyond proximity to convert that natural advantage into business. In the session, Hettiarachchi underlined the importance of the Indian tourism market for Sr Lanka and especially the MICE segment which has seen tremendous growth.

The forum was also attended Switzerland Convention Bureau Director – MICE Aishvarya Guhagarkar,  Creative Travel Joint Managing Director Rajeev Kohli and TAAI President Sunil Kumar.

India continues to be Sri Lanka’s largest source market for both leisure and business events. According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) 395,377 Indian tourists visited Sri Lanka between January and early September 2026, representing more than 25% of total arrivals. With India accounting for the highest number of arrivals, the market remains pivotal for Sri Lanka’s tourism growth strategy.

The success of the Sri Lanka Pavilion was made possible with the support of the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi, and the recognition at BLTM 2026 underscores SLCB’s commitment to promoting Sri Lanka as a premier international MICE destination.