Sri Lanka’s event management sector is enjoying a strong comeback, following the hiatus caused by the pandemic and economic crisis. “The sector is vibrant, exciting and growing very fast,” claimed the President of the Event Management Association and Founder/Managing Director of Nisal Cee, on LMDtv not long ago.

Nisal Caldera elaborated: “The event management sector contributes over Rs. 32 billion to the country’s GDP, according to 2022 statistics; and it provides direct employment to about 30,000 people and indirect employment to around 80,000. It’s a big sector with great potential for growth.”

Sri Lanka’s economic recovery is having a ripple effect across the board. He explained: “When the economy grows, corporates grow; and then they have the capacity to host events such as product launches, conventions, staff meet ups and everything in-between.”

Private events are also increasing. “When people’s disposable incomes increase, you see a lot of weddings and parties being booked,” Caldera noted, and added that there’s a demand for entertainment related events such as musical shows as well.

Sri Lanka has become a hotspot for weddings – especially destination weddings. When packaged with tourism, they offer a valuable opportunity for the country to earn foreign exchange.

He noted: “When wedding related clients visit Sri Lanka, their average daily expense is around US$ 180. Tourist arrivals in January exceeded 250,000. Out of this, we usually take a standard 10 percent for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events) and destination weddings, which amounts to around 2,500 people.”

“When you consider their daily average spend and wedding related expenses, that’s a lot of foreign exchange coming in,” he pointed out.

Caldera went on to say that increased demand is putting pressure on the availability of local infrastructure. “Sri Lanka has been identified as an exciting location for destination weddings – but to make optimum use of the opportunity, we need suitable infrastructure,” he asserted.

He continued: “An average wedding party of foreigners will consist of some 200 persons and that means a minimum of 100 rooms. Then you need at least a three day buyout from a hotel since most clients prefer to have all their functions in one place so that it’s easy for them to manage the event in its entirety.”

“And most weddings take place between November and January, which is the tourist season, and hotels are often fully booked. So building the necessary infrastructure is very important,” Caldera explained.

He pointed out that “Sri Lanka is strategically located and blessed with so much natural beauty. And though we have space, we need to create locations,” adding that with more visitors presenting bigger demands, focussing on new technologies is also crucial.

Caldera elaborated: “Private events consist of weddings, parties etc. Technology, which includes social media and other channels, plays a major part in the celebrations. And since people can see how things are happening in other countries, customers always want us to do something different and out of the box. We have to be on a par with global events if we’re to compete.”

“Even corporates are putting pressure,” he revealed, explaining that a top corporation will host an average of six events annually. Caldera assured: “We are using everything from virtual and augmented reality, to video mapping and now AI. You have to keep pushing the bar and be very professional.”

The sector’s growth also calls for more talent. “Event management is a canvas, and its vendors and suppliers are the paintbrushes,” he mused – and added that passion is key for those working in event management.

Caldera emphasised: “Follow your heart and passion, and the money will follow. The event management sector is amazing; and though it’s challenging, it is also very interesting. It’s different from one day to the next because you won’t have the same event twice.”