Sri Lanka Expo 2012 fair expects 1,000 delegates

Dec 06, 2011 (LBO) - Sri Lanka is expecting more than 1,000 business and official delegates for an export trade fair to be held in March in Colombo, which will also feature a high profile business forum, officials said. The end of a 30-year civil war in 2009 has already resulted in a tourism boom and made the country safer.

Ratnayake said large retail chains such as Walmart and Arcadia is looking Sri Lanka as a sourcing destination.

World Trade Organization director general Pascal Lamy, Marc Bolland, chief executive of the retail chain Marks and Spencer and Sharen J Turney chief executive of Victoria's Secret will take part in a business forum.

The 'Sri Lanka Expo 2012' will see more than 300 local exhibitors, Sri Lanka's Export Development Board chief Janaka Ratnayake said.

They will display manufactured goods, information technology, business process outsourcing, tourism and also investment opportunities.

Though the EDB is the lead agency behind the fair, the island's tourism, tea, and investment promotion agencies are also involved, officials said.

Minister of Industries and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen said organizers had already gone on road shows to several regions to promote the event whic