Sri Lanka appoints advisory council to boost event management industry

Colombo, Feb. 9 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka took a major step to develop its event management industry today (9) with the appointment of a 25-member advisory council under the patronage of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Sunil Handunnetti. This marks the first time the Industries Ministry has established a dedicated advisory council for the service sector.

The event management industry, recognized as a creative industry in Sri Lanka for over 30 years, directly employs 30,000 people and indirectly supports 80,000 more, benefiting over 400,000 families. The sector contributed Rs. 60 billion in 2025, with ambitions to grow to Rs. 250 billion. Globally, the industry is expanding at 10–14% annually and is valued at US$1.5 trillion.

The advisory council, chaired by Mr. Saliya Weerasekara, President of the Event Management Association, includes representatives from the public, private, and academic sectors. Discussions focused on current challenges, strategies for growth, and positioning Sri Lanka as a South Asian event hub. Key topics included streamlining event permits, safeguarding creative rights, maintaining a national events calendar, improving domestic air travel, and establishing suitable venues for international events in the capital.

The move is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s event industry, showcase local craftsmanship globally, and integrate the sector further with tourism development.