Cabraal says that reserves were built to weather demanding situation, calls on the non-banking sector to seek funds from capital markets and wants it to target 70% of GDP by 2016 By Uditha Jayasinghe Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal yesterday defended declining reserves, insisting that they were built up to be used in times ...

Corporate athletism programme to be launched to the private sector Each year globally the top four business professionals in a country who practice the values of Rotary, gets selected for a Group study exchange programmes(GSE) to different parts of the world by Rotary International. Some of the countries that Sri Lanka have partnered are Brazil, ...

of innovation and diversification in marketing tourism. Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Dr. Nalaka Godahewa ad...

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

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 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. ...

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 ...

Despite crises in most world markets, the Government yesterday remained upbeat on prospects for Sri Lanka’s exports which have grown by 35% so far to reach $ 5 billion giving optimism that end 2011 figure would top $ 10 billion. “On the back of 21% growth in exports in 2010, current year’s exports have grown ...

By Cheranka Mendis Sri Lanka’s wildlife parks bring in collective revenue of approximate Rs.300 million a year which is hoped to increase within the next few years riding on the increasing tourist arrivals to the country. Sri Lanka’s tourism industry which showcased a steady climb this year, registering a 36% growth within the first seven ...

The ‘Lanka Challenge 2011’ trishaw race started off in grand style on Saturday 20 August 2011 at 8:30 a.m. from the premises of Tangerine Tree Hotel, Minuwangoda. The competitors kicked off to a solid start, with the official flag-off given by the Acting Director General of Sri Lanka

Being a brand with a vision to be positioned as the ultimate hospitality trademark in Sri Lanka, Citrus Leisure PLC has, within a very short period of time, become a powerhouse in the leisure industry with still more ambitious plans to build and manage a chain of distinctive resorts – a chain benchmarked against the ...

A special programme has been formulated to attract foreign tourists in parallel to the 2600th Sambuddhatva Jayanthiya. Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena made this reference addressing a media briefing in Colombo. The Minister said Sri Lanka Tourism expects many religious tourists to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Tourism has tied up with Singapore Airlines to get its support to promote Sri Lanka in a number of Asian countries and also in Australia.   The one-year MOU took effect from April this year. It will see both parties jointly funding tourism promotion activities

This reporter, on a bus ride from from Kollupitiya, en route to an assignment at the World Trade Centre (WTC) on Monday, saw soldiers, stationed on the seaside of Galle Road, with their guns pointing towards the roads and buildings, including at some hotels that way. I don’t know whether a similar scene was enacted ...

By Srilal Miththapala Just over a year ago, I penned an article entitled “Sri Lanka Tourism — Quo Vadis” where I raised the issues and challenges Sri Lanka was facing in developing its tourism industry. Of course, that was during the latter stages of the war, and now after the ending of the war, there ...