Sri Lanka participates in the ANANT EPCC 2024

The Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai in collaboration with The Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and the Sri Lankan Tourism Promotion Bureau facilitated the participation of the Sri Lankan delegation in the ANANT Event Planners Culfest and Confluence (EPCC) event in Ahmedabad from 11 to 12 October 2024.

The two-day event, held at Taj Skyline and the ITC Narmada, Ahmedabad, featured presentations, panel discussions and opportunities to explore the latest trends in tourism and tourist destinations. It also included a session on the destination Sri Lanka.

The 6-member delegation of Sri Lanka represented hoteliers and event management companies of the country and the event was attended by over 200 leading event planners and event management companies.

The Acting Consul General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai, Shirani Ariyarathne delivered a presentation elaborating on why Sri Lanka is an ideal wedding destination for Indian Tourists. She highlighted that Sri Lanka’s scenic beauty, close proximity to India, and the ease of travel with free visa facilities for Indians would offer attractive features for wedding celebrations. She further added that travelling from India to Sri Lanka has been made convenient by leading Airlines including SriLankan Airlines, Vistara, Air Indian and Indigo, with 125 weekly flights from multiple cities in India to Sri Lanka. Moreover, she promoted the diverse locations that the country offers ranging from beaches to tea estates. She also assured that the hotels in the country are experienced in providing different types of cuisines including vegetarian and Jain diets for large wedding groups, with a variety of budget plans available.

In addition, the Acting Consul General pointed out that as local event planners are familiar with Indian rituals, appropriate decorations, traditional music, and requirements such as firewood for Hawan could be easily facilitated. She also referred to the other tourist activities available in the country including shopping, safaris, water sports, and cultural tourism that provide recreational facilities for those attending weddings. Services available at the airport and the warm welcome extended by the SLTPB and SLCB to the visiting tourists were also noted during the presentation.

The Sri Lankan delegation engaged with leading Indian wedding planners and representatives from event management companies during a networking session that followed.  The participating Indian wedding planners and event management companies expressed their interest in promoting Sri Lanka as a wedding destination. The management of ITC Narmada conveyed their willingness to join Sri Lanka to promote the ITC Ratnadipa/ Sri Lanka as a wedding destination.

Representatives from the SriLankan Airlines Mumbai and Gujarat also took part in the event. Further, Founder and CEO of Wedding Works Pvt. Ltd, Chaminda Madanayake attended a panel discussion on “Exploring the latest trends and Hottest Destinations”, held in parallel to the event.

Moreover, traditional Navratri festival aarti, and cultural garba dance performance enhanced the event, on both days.