The Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Chennai, Dr. Ganesanathan Geathiswaran, attended and addressed the Sri Lanka Tourism MICE Promotion Programme and Corporate Networking Evening held in Chennai on 29 and 30 May 2026. The programme was organized by the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB), functioning under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka, with the objective of promoting Sri Lanka as a premier destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism, while further strengthening tourism and business linkages between Sri Lanka and India. The event was attended by Mr. Dheera Hettiarachchi, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB) and the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM); Mr. Kasun Welaratne, Sales Manager – Chennai, SriLankan Airlines; Mr. Anil Tom, Member of the Chapter Governing Council – Tamil Nadu and Kerala of the Global Association of Corporate Services (GACS) and Senior Director – Administration of Modern Solutions India Private Limited; Mr. Vinod Gopal, Vice President of the Event and Entertainment Management Association of India; leading Sri Lankan tour operators and hoteliers; members of the corporate sector; travel and tourism professionals; industry associations; media representatives; and other key stakeholders from both Sri Lanka and India. Addressing the gathering, the Deputy High Commissioner highlighted the longstanding historical, cultural, religious and people-to-people ties between Sri Lanka and India, emphasizing that tourism continues to serve as an important bridge in enhancing mutual understanding, connectivity, and economic cooperation between the two neighbouring countries. He underscored the importance of India as one of Sri Lanka’s most valued tourism partners and a priority market for MICE tourism promotion. Referring to the growing tourism exchanges between the two countries, he noted that Sri Lanka welcomed a record 531,511 Indian visitors in 2025, accounting for over 22 per cent of the country’s total tourist arrivals, while more than 221,000 Indian travellers had already visited Sri Lanka during the first five months of 2026. The Deputy High Commissioner further highlighted Sri Lanka’s unique strengths as a MICE destination, including its strategic location in the Indian Ocean, world-class hospitality, modern conference and convention facilities, excellent air connectivity, competitive value proposition, and diverse tourism offerings. He noted that Sri Lanka provides an ideal setting for conferences, corporate meetings, incentive travel programmes, exhibitions, destination weddings, wellness retreats, and executive leisure experiences within a compact and easily accessible destination. The programme provided an important platform for Sri Lankan and Indian tourism stakeholders, corporate representatives, travel agents, tour operators, and media professionals to exchange ideas, establish new partnerships, and explore mutually beneficial opportunities in the tourism and MICE sectors. The Deputy High Commissioner expressed appreciation to the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and all participating stakeholders for their continued efforts in promoting Sri Lanka as a preferred destination for business and leisure travel. He conveyed confidence that the engagements and networking opportunities facilitated through the programme would contribute significantly towards further enhancing tourism cooperation, business partnerships, and people-to-people exchanges between Sri Lanka and India. Deputy High Commission of Sri Lanka, Chennai, 02 nd June 2026
