The Study on Greening Event Management Practices of Meeting, Incentive, Conference, and Exhibition (MICE) Organizations in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The event industry is one of the most rapidly expanding service industries in Sri Lanka. The meeting, incentive, conference, and exhibition events are important components in the event industry. It has become popular with its growth and expansion within the country as it generates more benefits to the economy. The MICE industry creates a negative impact on the environment. Therefore, it should be an increased number of green practices that help to minimize the negative environmental impacts. This study aims to investigate the awareness of green events management practices, MICE organizations in Sri Lanka. The objectives of the study are to identify the current greening practices, to identify the obstacles associated with implementing green practices, and to identify the factors that affect to improve the green practices of the MICE industry in Sri Lanka. The study was based on a qualitative research approach and open-ended questionnaires were used to collect data. These were sent to MICE organizations in the format of Google forms. Fifteen out of twenty respondents answered the questionnaire that has the membership of the Sri Lanka Association of Professional Conference, Exhibition and Event Organizers. The results reveal that waste management, energy efficiency techniques, and biodiversity protection techniques as current greening practices implemented by companies. The mentality of clients, lack of infrastructure facilities, cost, lack of technology, and lack of government support are the obstacles associated with implementing green practices. Further, this study found that marketing advantage, positive reputation, social and environmental benefits as the pros of the company. Education and changing the mind of clients, development of technology, and government support are the factors that influence the improvement of greening practices in the MICE industry in Sri Lanka. Finally, the researcher recommended that significant changes in client mentality and introduction of new technology related to green initiatives can increase the demand for green events in the future.