Cinnamon Box Office Launches AI-Powered Destination Event Calendar to Boost Sri Lanka’s Tourism and Events Economy

Colombo, — Cinnamon Box Office (CBO) has launched an AI-powered Destination Event Calendar aimed at transforming how locals and visitors discover events, entertainment, cultural activities and lifestyle experiences across Sri Lanka.

The new platform is designed to strengthen Colombo’s position as a year-round destination for tourism, events and lifestyle experiences while creating greater visibility for the country’s diverse events ecosystem.

Cinnamon Box Office operates as a ticketing and premium event experience platform, with an event portfolio spanning eight key categories: concerts, MICE, contemporary music, classical music, children’s events, food and beverage, speakers and theatre.

The platform connects audiences, event organisers, venues, hotels and other partners through an integrated system covering ticketing, event management, marketing, audience engagement and reporting.

Its services extend across the event lifecycle, including event consultation, digital marketing, AI-powered social media campaigns, ticket sales management, AI-based sales forecasting, QR-based entry and ticket validation, 24/7 hotline support and payment reconciliation.

Strengthening Colombo’s Tourism Potential

The launch comes as Colombo seeks to strengthen its position as a major tourism and events destination.

According to the information provided by Cinnamon Box Office, Colombo currently accounts for only 28% of Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals, compared with a regional average of approximately 70%. Despite having the highest concentration of five-star hotels in the country, Colombo also records the lowest occupancy levels.

The city’s tourism sector continues to face seasonality and a strong dependence on traditional winter markets. To support the national target of three million tourist arrivals, Colombo would need to attract an estimated one million intra-regional visitors.

Colombo also has room to strengthen its international destination profile. The city ranked 84th globally in the Brand Finance Global City Index 2024.

Dileep Mudadeniya, Senior Vice President – Global Alliances & Partnerships and Head of Corporate Affairs at John Keells Group, said Colombo has an opportunity to build greater “soft power” through events, museums, art galleries and festivals.

He emphasised the importance of making these experiences more visible and accessible to visitors and using technology and artificial intelligence to bring together information on events taking place across the city and the country.

AI-Powered Discovery of Events

The Destination Event Calendar uses AI-driven data gathering to create a comprehensive inventory of events and experiences taking place across Sri Lanka.

The system is designed to collect information from venue websites, social media platforms, ticketing APIs and information submitted directly by venues. This enables the platform to cover everything from major arena concerts and international productions to smaller venues, cultural activities and community events.

The information can also be distributed through partner-ready digital widgets, allowing other platforms to provide their audiences with a wider range of activities and experiences.

Users can discover events through geo-located maps, personalised recommendations and event carousels. The platform also integrates event and artist information, allowing users to explore activities according to their location and interests, save preferences and receive relevant notifications.

Supporting Hotels and Hospitality Businesses

The platform is also designed to strengthen the role of hotels and resorts in destination discovery.

Through the Destination Event Calendar, hotels can provide guests with an interactive event concierge featuring up-to-date information about cultural, entertainment and lifestyle experiences taking place nearby.

This allows hotels to act as local event experts while providing visitors with more opportunities to explore destinations beyond traditional hotel and sightseeing experiences.

Partner-ready widgets and regularly updated event listings can also be integrated into hotel and travel platforms, creating additional channels through which visitors can discover activities during their stay.

Creating a Year-Round Events Ecosystem

The launch reflects a broader effort to strengthen Sri Lanka’s existing events ecosystem by making experiences easier to discover, access and promote throughout the year.

By connecting event organisers, venues, hotels, audiences and digital partners through a single platform, Cinnamon Box Office aims to increase visibility for local experiences while creating additional reasons for domestic and international visitors to explore Sri Lanka.

The initiative forms part of Cinnamon Box Office’s wider ambition to contribute towards positioning Sri Lanka as South Asia’s leading hub for events, entertainment and lifestyle experiences.

Through the integration of artificial intelligence, digital discovery and the country’s growing events ecosystem, the platform seeks to support Colombo’s transformation into a more vibrant, connected and internationally competitive destination.