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

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 ...

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

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 ...

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

The picture shows the interaction taking place between Sri Lankan tour operators and the foreign tour operators at the ongoing EXPO 2012. Sri Lanka Tourism says over 50 foreign tour operators are taking part in this event. Apart from attending the general presentations organized by the local

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Dr. Nalaka Godahewa addressed the members of The Council for Business with Britain (CBB) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce recently. He highlighted the vision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the tourism industry, the world’s largest service industry

The Daily FT spoke to the Immediate Past President of Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) and Chairman and Managing Director of Conniassance de Ceylan Ltd., on the state of post-war Sri Lanka tourism industry, the progress and key challenges as well as future prospects

In tandem with the private sector rush to harness the post-war tourism rebound, the Government this week joined the trend by kicking off its own Rs. 300 million resort in Anuradhapura, though targeting domestic tourists. Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa on the sidelines of Deyata Kirula laid the foundation stone for a tourist resort ...

Following is the ‘Zheng He’ oration delivered by Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Dr. Nalaka Godahewa last Tuesday at the Auditorium of the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management ( Hotel School) 78 Galle Road, Colombo 3 The tourism industry in Sri Lanka has reached a stage

Following are excerpts from an interview with former President of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) and currently Managing Director Aitken Spence Travels Ltd. Gehan Perera Q: The private sector, line ministries and the regulatory bodies involved in tourism agree that the time is right for a long-term strategic plan for Sri ...

‘Sancharaka Udawa’, a one day meeting for all tourism related service providers was held yesterday at the Ceylon Continental Hotel with Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa as Chief Guest. The main objective of this forum is to provide opportunities for those less exposed to mainstream tourism; creating a platform for small and medium service providers ...

Following is the address delivered by The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) President Anura Lokuhetty at the National Conference on ‘The Role of the Business Community in Reconciliation’ organised by Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS):   Ladies and gentlemen, throughout the history of mankind, humankind has searched for ...

Signifying another milestone of the Post-War development in Sri Lanka, the Jaffna International Trade Fair 2012 has been declared open yesterday by Douglas Devananda, the Minister of Traditional Industries & Small Enterprise Development. The Jaffna International Trade Fair (JITF), which is focused on marketing the opportunities in the virgin market of Jaffna peninsula to private ...

Tourism sources stated that Sri Lanka Tourism has planned to attract one million tourists in 2012. They added that in the first half of this month over 60,000 tourists have arrived in the country and a considerable amount of foreign exchange earned. Sources noted that tourism recorded 860,000

In Sri Lanka we have population close to 21 million. According to China Tourism Academy (CTA), 57.39 million Chinese tourists travelled overseas in 2010! Global Trends Report 2011, which was released at World Travel Market in London, highlights the fact that Chinese tourists contributed US$ 57 billion on accommodation in 2011, third in the world ...

The new visa processing system implemented from January 1 this year has found that there were a ‘considerable’ number of visitors obtaining on-arrival visas. Immigration Controller Chulananda Perera told the Sunday Times that it had been observed that a considerable number of applicants preferred to obtain on-arrival visas. In this respect, there are currently three counters provided a...

Ends 2011 with record 855,975 arrivalsBy Cheranka Mendis The high-flying tourism industry closed the year with a record 855,975 arrivals, marking a rise of 100,000 from the original target for the year. Statistics revealed by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) yesterday noted

Following are excerpts of an interview with Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) Secretary T.M.F. Packeer, who is also Managing Director and CEO of Asian Exotica Ltd. Q: Sri Lanka Tourism has a very clear future standing as articulated by the President, of 2.5 million visitors

Reuters: South Africa’s Sun City resort will invest $ 800 million in a tourism project in Sri Lanka, the Gead of the State-run Tourism Board said on Friday. Sun City resort is run by South African gaming and hotels group Sun International Ltd. It will be the largest ever investment in the country’s leisure sector, ...

Achieving another remarkable milestone in the country’s booming tourism industry, Sri Lanka Tourism welcomed the arrival of the record 800,000th tourist in 2011 at the Bandaranaike International Airport last evening. Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Dr. Nalaka Godahewa and Managing Director Rumy

Achieving another remarkable milestone in the country’s booming tourism industry, Sri Lanka Tourism welcomed the arrival of 800,000th tourist in year 2011 at the Bandaranaike International Airport today (19th Dec.) evening, Sri Lanka tourism said in a press statement. This is the first time

Range of sectors discussed for investments during meeting between Qatar Premier and Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa Range of sectors discussed for investments during meeting between Qatar Premier and Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa (strap) Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs in Qatar   together with Yousf K...

International Consultants Chairman Ranjiv Goonawardena had kindly invited the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau to participate by showcasing the great opportunity that Sri Lanka has to offer, at the Islamic Real Estate Finance (IREF) Summit and Gala Dinner Awards Ceremony of which it was a sponsor

IN 2010, the boost for Sri Lanka tourism was being named the top travel destination by the New York Times. As the dawn of 2012 emerges the plus point is being among the top six of National Geographic’s best global destinations. Upbeat on tourism, the Government is considering a target