Following are excerpts of an interview with Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Dr. Nalaka Godahewa on tourism investment facilitation Q: Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has set up a ‘one stop shop’ for investment facilitation since late 2010. How does this fit into the role of tourism? A: When the five-year Master Plan for tourism development ...

Let’s accept it, Sri Lanka made a statement to the world that we are open for business with Expo 2012, even though it had its limitations like the faulty air conditioner at the launch that grabbed media attention. Whilst some can say that the shine was taken off the event due to the very uncomfortable ...

The Secretary of Defence and Urban Development Gotabaya Rajapaksa was invited as a Guest of the Government of Japan in order to interact with the key political leaders, senior technocrats and cabinet ministers. Secretary Rajapaksa, on the day before he left to Colombo, met Minister of Education, Culture, Sports , Science and Technology Hirofumi Hirano; ...

Expo 2012, organised by the Export Development Board, provided an ideal opportunity to Sri Lanka Tourism industry to promote its product to the international market. At the end of the event, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) had been able to achieve its targets successfully. The stall of the SLTPB was one of the eye ...

A large group of Indian businessmen are visiting Sri Lanka Expo 2012. According to Export Development Board officials, Indian participation is one of the largest in Expo 2012, with participation of over 200 business visitors. The participation of Indian business delegation in Expo 2012 is being supported by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Southern ...

By Cheranka Mendis While Sri Lanka’s largest mega trade, investment and tourism promotion initiative ‘Expo 2012’ has been welcomed by stakeholders as a timely affair, stallholders shared mixed feelings on the order of the show. Some were elated having received inquires just two days into the event, while others expressed disappointment with regard to the ...

Ebert Silva, a pioneer in the field of travel and tourism in Sri Lanka passed away on the 28 March at the age of 79. Ebert Silva gave life to an important and glorious chapter of Sri Lanka’s transport, tourism and motoring history with the name being synonymous with the industry. Continuing the business his ...

A new Air Services Agreement between Sri Lanka and the Russian Federation was signed at the Ministry of Transport of Russia in Moscow on 26 March. Sri Lankan Ambassador in the Russian Federation Udayanga Weeratunga signed the Agreement on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka while Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation ...

By Cassandra Mascarenhas Sri Lanka is ripe for investment and should exploit its strategic location to attract more foreign investment, while not losing focus on its traditional markets were the general views expressed at the Expo 2012 Symposium on Trade, Investment and Tourism. Held yesterday, the symposium featured a line-up of representatives of many sectors, ...

Addition from the success of Expo 2012, Sri Lanka Tourism witnessed the one to one meetings between the Sri Lankan and Foreign Tour operators achieving the expected goals. These meetings provided an excellent opportunity for local travel agents to cooperate with their international counterparts and thereby to develop and promote the products.

HSBC has partnered the Export Development Board (EDB) to be the Principal Sponsor – Banking Sector of the Sri Lanka Expo 2012, which began yesterday at the BMICH. It is on until Saturday from 10.a.m. to 8.p.m. The premier international trade fair aptly themed ‘Partnering with the Hub of Asia’ is expected to attract over ...

The Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) and the Embassy of Vietnam in Sri Lanka have organised a seminar on:  ‘Exploring the Potential for Sri Lanka-Vietnam Economic Cooperation’ to coincide with Sri Lanka Expo 2012. The event will take place on 30 March at the IPS Auditorium.   The seminar will focus on ...

The Expo 2012 show that commenced yesterday highlights Sri Lanka’s export products across more than 20 sectors. “Expo 2012 is a viable platform for UAE to identify the export product portfolio of Sri Lanka. In fact, we did not know that Sri Lanka has such a huge export portfolio until today,” said Rashid Al Telaji, ...

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday assured that Sri Lanka will not allow forces of separatism and terror to raise their ugly heads again but was pursuing a path of peace and reconciliation. “As you can see at this event and as you travel freely in our country and also as you interact with your business partners ...

With the recent relaxing of the rupee exchange rate and subsequent increase in fuel prices, trade unions and the opposition parties are conducting protest campaigns against the Government, demanding a reduction in oil prices and the cost of living. This article investigates the living conditions of citizens in the recent past and present, quality and ...

One of the key aspects of the ongoing EU SWITCH-Asia Greening Sri Lanka Hotels Project is to publicise the good work done by Sri Lankan hotels towards energy and environment conservation. As a part of this program, Greening Sri Lanka Hotels Project together with two selected SME hotels; Hotel Clarion, Colombo and The Swiss Residence, ...

The Embassy of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in Rome has announced that as a result of the promotional drive launched few months back, it has been able to organise a 48-member delegation from Italy and Cyprus to visit Sri Lanka for EXPO 2012 from 28 to 30 March 2012. The delegation consists ...

Sri Lanka Expo 2012 will kick off from 28 to 31 March at Sirimavo Bandaranayke Memorial Exhibition Centre of BMICH, under the theme ‘Partnering with the Hub of Asia.’ This event will be organised by the Export Development Board. Having foreseen the importance of Expo 2012 to promote Sri Lanka as a destination, Sri Lanka ...

NDB‘s contribution to infrastructure development has been substantial during the last three decades. Having garnered the experience and expertise to cater towards the development process in Sri Lanka, NDB continues to focus on this vital component providing the necessary support that will help towards economic development in the country. NDB CEO Russell de Mel says, ...

After having worked for the private sector in some of the best multinationals in the country, when I decided to serve the country in the public sector, many warned me on the inefficiency of the Government agencies of Sri Lanka. But having worked on a full time basis for three years in the Government and ...

By Uditha Jayasinghe Showcasing the need for vigilance, over 1,500 foreigners who remained illegally in the country after their visas expired were detected within the first two months of 2012, a top immigration official said yesterday. Controller General of Immigration and Emigration Commissioner for Registration of Persons of Indian Origin W. Perera told the Daily ...

Unity is strength: Let us unite as a nation and a group of likeminded nations in the world Sri Lanka is a senior member Sri Lanka is a senior member of the world family, maintaining high standards of human rights on international standards, which is not an alien system to us. Our culture is based ...

Reuters: Sri Lanka's tea production edged down 0.6 percent in February due to high base in the same month last year, the state-run tea board said on Wednesday. Sri Lanka's February tea output was 21.98 million kg compared to 22.13 million kg in February 2011. The production in the first two months has increased 4.7 ...

The 11th SAARC Trade Fair and Tourism Mart 2012 will be held in Bangladesh from 30 March to 1 April at the BICC in Dhaka. It is expected that 11th SAARC Trade Fair and Tourism Mart 2012 will be very effective and successful and would contribute to the development of new avenues for business and ...

The entry in to Sri Lanka by Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Berhad via John Keells Holdings (JKH) is being hailed as a all round boost for the country, the Colombo stock market as well as the premier blue chip. JKH which has many first to its credit is also the first stock on ...

With just 12 days to go, Sri Lanka’s largest mega trade, investment and tourism promotion initiative ‘Expo 2012’ has attracted close to 1,200 people, exceeding the expected 1,000 mark, EDB Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said yesterday. Speaking to the Daily FT, he asserted that the number of participants had increased by 500 from last week, when ...

By Cheranka Mendis Despite the Central Bank’s forecast reading 7.2% growth for 2012, RAM Ratings Lanka CEO Adrian Perera is confident that the country can touch the 7.5%-7.6% mark by the end of the year. Perera told the Daily FT that the new projection is a realistic number from the 8% noted at the beginning ...

My column today is an attempt to focus our attention on a few less spoken or untold developments that may have a profound influence on how we carve our way through in creating a desirable social, economic and political future for mankind on this only planet of ours. While I will not specifically touch on ...

Outlines OZO Colombo plans to provide a 4-star product at a 3-star priceQ: As a veteran and experienced hotelier as well as a prominent personality in the tourism sector, what are your thoughts on the hotel industry in Sri Lanka and what needs to be done? A: These are exciting times with great opportunities for ...

The Sri Lanka-Bangladesh Joint Economic Commission (JEC) sessions, held after almost two decades, concluded successfully yesterday in Dhaka, Bangladesh. “We effectively renewed bilateral trade cooperation and more importantly, have succeeded in regularising the important JEC series in the future,” announced Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka in Dhaka at t...