A country perspective of innovation and diversification Distinguished invitees, presenters, organising committee members, officials, representatives of the media, ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed a privilege for me to present at this important global conference, Sri Lanka’s perspective of innovation and diversification in marketing tourism. Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Dr. Nalaka Godahewa ad...

The chaos caused to global passenger travel over the weekend following the unprecedented grounding of its entire fleet by Qantas Airways could be a blow for Australian Gold Coast’s bid for 2018 Commonwealth Games. On Saturday Qantas took the drastic step to ground its fleet cancelling over 450 flights affecting 70,000 passengers.            &...

Marque fund manager and investor Asanga Seneviratne structures deal; Galadari Brothers part sell stake as part of settlement of cases in UAEThe buying of a 16% stake in Galadari Hotel (Lanka) Plc by the Dubai Government for Rs. 1.18 billion yesterday is expected to throw open the city five star as an attractive investment in ...

Following the success of the World Spice Food Festival since 2005, Sri Lanka Tourism is once again staging the World Spice Food Festival 2011 with the aim of showcasing culinary expertise from around the world with added Sri Lankan flavour. The festival will be held from 28 October to 9 November in Colombo. This year’s ...

This October and November Sri Lankan rugby fans will be treated to the largest international rugby event to hit the country; the Carlton Super 7’s Sri Lanka 2011. Etisalat will be reprising their role as telecommunications sponsor this year, as the tournament looks to take Sri Lankan Rugby to the next level by constructing teams ...

Amidst woes in US and European markets, Sri Lanka’s apparel sector has survived to grow with the outlook for the next few quarters remaining positive, industry sources told the Daily FT yesterday. Whilst July saw earnings from textiles and garments increase year on year by 5% to US$ 385 million, the highest monthly value, August ...

DNH Financial shares some key insights to the upcoming earnings season and how to manage investments in the Colombo stock marketFIn the absence of any significant news, the Sri Lanka bourse continued to trade on a lacklustre note with the ASPI and MPI falling by 2.2% and 1.7%WoW to close the week at 6,550 and ...

Arguably the world’s most powerful leader, Barak Obama, underscored that the Eurozone crisis is “scaring the world”. It comes as no surprise then that his Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner heads the international clamour for more action to solve the burgeoning sovereign debt problem that has dominated financial markets in recent times. George Osborne, Britain’s current ...

The Central Bank yesterday indicated that the economy and markets, especially money, are stable, encouraging it to leave policy rates unchanged at its September monetary policy review. It said inflation continued to moderate with the year-on-year change in the Colombo Consumers’ Price Index declining from 7.0% in August to 6.4% in September 2011. Annual average ...

By Devin Jayasundera The Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) in celebrating its 125th anniversary announced the launch of the SLMA 2012 International Conference and Exhibitions to professionals in the medical field and the media on 4 October. The theme of this year’s conference will be ‘Global Forum for Sri Lankan Doctors’. The SLMA, which is ...

The Maldivian administration’s key economic strategy is to engage the private sector and enable the diversification of the economy for sustainable development, said Mahmood Razee, Minister of Economic Development in the Republic of Maldives who was in the country to attend the fourth Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka-Maldives Bilateral Business Council recently.   ...

In the latest figures available, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) last week reported that the preliminary figures for international visitor arrivals into Asia/Pacific destinations1 for July 2011 show a year-on-year increase of 7%. Director of the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre John Koldowski PATA’s Strategic Intelligence Centre notes that the growth rate has become more ...

More inflows into service, capital, financial accounts, says CB Rupee was under pressure due to heavy imports in Aug., Sept. Currency dealers wary on rupee stability By Shihar Aneez Reuters: Pressure on Sri Lanka’s rupee currency will recede in coming months due to increasing inflows into the country’s service, capital and financial accounts, the Central ...

The Department of Immigration and Emigration yesterday launched the trial version of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme which will come into force from 1 January 2012. The ETA will grant prior approval for visa via online for the foreign nationals who visit Sri Lanka and those who travel via Sri Lanka for short-term requirements. ...

Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama made an exclusive presentation at the International Port Security Conference in the Netherlands on 28 September 2011. Expressing views delivering the keynote address at the International Port Security 2011 conference on the subject of the past successes of securing Sri Lankan ports and the predicted ...

Today,  the world comes together to celebrate this year’s World  Tourism Day,  under the theme  ‘Tourism – Linking  Cultures’ set by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. The main focus of this year’s theme is to foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its cultural value, and also on how ...

Introduction Growth has stalled in the global economy. Stock markets have plummeted. Risk appetite has declined and there has been a flow of resources to safe havens. The IMF has stated that the world economy has entered its most dangerous phase since the financial crisis of 2008. The ammunition available to policymakers is much reduced ...

Last week’s My View talked about six popular fallacies of currency or exchange rate appreciation which both the authorities and the public have tended to harbour in themselves. Of them, the following three were discussed in detail: Fallacy One: The government can fix the external value of a currency at any level it wishes. Fallacy ...

In its march towards development, Sri Lanka is still seeking the assistance of bilateral and multilateral organisations as well as greater input from foreign investors, Governor of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund for Sri Lanka, Senior Minister for International Monetary Cooperation Dr. Sarath Amunugama said in a statement to the IMF. Given ...

New Delhi (The Hindu Business Line): From Maldives in the south of India to Bhutan in the north, several SAARC countries are keen to seek Indian investment and expertise. And not without reason, because 55 per cent of the intra-regional trade potential in South Asia remains untapped. Realising this, Bhutan, which has recently come up ...

Gives comprehensive address highlighting issues of developing countries Shoots down discriminatory practices by developed countries Outlines post-war development, reiterates stance against terrorism Backs Palestine, Cuba and Africa By Nisthar Cassim in New York In his much-anticipated address to the UN, President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday took a comprehensive local, regional and world view, with...

With the World Bank announcing that the world economy is teetering on “a new danger zone,” it is of paramount importance for governments and financial power-houses to restore confidence through concrete policies and systematic financial planning. This is the order of the day, given the recent pessimistic report on the world economy delivered by Morgan ...

EXPATRIATE Sri Lankans on international assignments often cite several reasons for leaving the home country. Generally, factors such as wages, employment, professional development, children’s education, socioeconomic and political conditions drive skilled people to migrate. The priority given to each issue typically depends firstly on the skill and profession of the migrant and secondly on h...

An English traveller encounters optimism in the unlikeliest of pachydermsBy Will Maude During my stay here in Sri Lanka there have been dramatic monuments, extraordinary temples and rock-top forts to explore; strangely colourful flora and fauna to investigate; trees running with monkeys; encounters with elephants; and some of the world’s most stunning golden beaches nearby ...

The policy changes, reforms and modernisation since Budget 2011 appears to have been the context of a presentation made to the Joint Apparel Association Forum in July 2011 by the “leading light” in finance, planning, treasury management and economic development. Sri Lanka background 2000-’10 The presentation articulates the background issues experienced from 2000 to 2010. ...

Last week I received an invite for an ‘Inventors Day Celebration’ in one of the leading schools in the country and the master in charge shared a thought that I felt was a cutting edge idea. Apparently, every one of us is an inventor in some part of our daily life. The issue is that ...

Sri Lanka Ambassador urges stronger trade relationship MUSCAT: Relations between Sri Lanka and Oman are going from strength to strength and the new Sri Lankan Ambassador, Asoka Girihagama, hopes to do his bit to further boost the already robust ties. Girihagama, who started his stint in the Sultanate early this month, told Times of Oman ...

In what is likely to be major breakthrough to the litigation-filled long-drawn-out impasse at Hilton Colombo-owning company Hotel Developers Plc (HDL), a proposal for an amicable win-win settlement has been presented to the Treasury. Sources said that as per the proposals with four options studied by Treasury, major shareholder Cornel Perera (owning 56% but held ...

Last week, media were abuzz with two reports on how undesired exchange rate movements could worry governments. One was a currency under pressure for appreciation in the market and the other was a currency moving in the opposite. Swiss Franc: One way Journey to Appreciation The first was the case of the Swiss Franc which ...

Sri Lanka’s future prosperity depends on a vibrant, dynamic and innovative export sector, and Sri Lanka Expo 2012 will contribute towards achieving the set export targets. I request all to assist the Export Development Board to conduct the Expo 2012 successfully, said Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry & Commerce. Addressing the launch of Sri Lanka ...