News
Sigiriya Jungles marks 10 years with community medical camp
Sigiriya Jungles Resort & Spa will commemorate its 10th anniversary by hosting a community medical camp for residents of surrounding villages on August 11, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to community wellbeing and sustainable tourism.
The medical camp, scheduled from 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. at the resort premises, will provide BMI assessments, full blood tests, cholesterol screening, blood pressure checks, eye and dental examinations, medicines, and health awareness sessions aimed at promoting preventive healthcare and healthier lifestyles. The anniversary celebrations will continue later that evening in the presence of invited religious leaders, health officials and other dignitaries.
Founder and Chairman of Sigiriya Jungles Resort & Spa, Devindre Senaratne, said the initiative reflected the resort’s desire to create a meaningful and lasting impact on the community that has supported its journey over the past decade.
“Our greatest achievement is not measured by occupancy or awards, but by the happy guests and the relationships we have built over a decade. Seeing this positive impact is what really makes us happy,” he said.
Located in Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle, the purposefully designed 60-room resort has welcomed more than 250,000 guests since opening in 2016. Designed by architect Vinod Jayasinghe, a protégé of the late Geoffrey Bawa, the property is distinguished by its bridge inspired by the historic Bogoda Bridge and offers visitors convenient access to UNESCO World Heritage attractions, including Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura. The resort also conducts immersive experiences such as the Audangawa Village Tour and traditional Sri Lankan village cooking demonstrations at Archchi’s.
Over the past decade, Sigiriya Jungles has received several industry recognitions, including TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence, consecutive TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards from 2020 to 2026, the Booking.com Traveller Review Award 2026, and certifications for Safe and Secure Hospitality Operations and International Food Safety Standards (ISO 22000).
The resort has also undertaken a range of community initiatives, including the construction of the Audangawa Village Temple, continued support for Moragaswewa Vidyalaya in Habarana, regular shramadana campaigns, local sourcing programmes and certified skills training. More than 650 individuals have been trained through the resort over the past decade, many of whom now serve in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry and overseas.
General Manager Chaminda Samaranayake said the resort remained committed to strengthening its sustainability agenda and is currently progressing towards Travelife certification.
“We are deeply grateful to our guests, staff, local communities, religious leaders, suppliers and partners who have helped shape these ten years. The next chapter will be guided by the same values that brought us here,” he said.
News
Cabinet nod to increase the number of new automated passenger clearance gates at the Bandaranayake International Airport to 12
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 19.05.2025 to purchase four (04) automated passenger clearance gates for Bandaranayake International Airport.
In addition, it is expected to extend the automated passenger clearance gates facility so far given only to the Sri Lankans
parallel to the e – passport issuance system to be introduced in the year 2027 also to the foreigners who travel to and from this country.
Furthermore, considering also the number of air passengers rapidly increasing with the fast – forwarding business and tourism field, the appropriateness to increase the total automated passenger clearance gates up to twelve (12) in number has been recognized.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers, approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to initiate the procurement and installation of 12
automated passenger clearance gates altogether with the already approved four (04) and another eight (08) automated passenger clearance gates adhering to the formal procurement procedure
Based on the observations submitted by the Task Force on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing for Terrorism, approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 18.12.2024 to amend the Trust Ordinance No. 9 of 1917 including amendments proposed by the Financial
Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Accordingly, clearance of the Attorney General has been granted for the Trust (Amendment) Draft Bill formulated by the Legal Draftsman.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Justice and National Integration
to publish the said draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby, submit the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Action was taken to provide a fuel relief for the fuel consumers during the months of April, May and June of 2026 to redress by minimizing the impact caused to the day today life of the citizens of this country as well as the entire economy due to the price hike of petroleum fuel in the global market resulting from the war situation in the Middle East.
Government mediation is essential for minimizing the impact on the day to today life of citizens in this country due to that war situation not being ended further. Therefore, it has been planned to redress on the sale price for Auto Diesel and Industrial Diesel for a period of 03 months by the Government to provide relief to the public as well as to maintain the prices at a bearable level to the consumers without escalating the fuel prices in this country compared to the escalation of fuel prices
in the international market.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to
allocate provisions subject to the monthly limitations respectively as rupees 15 billion for the month of October, rupees 13.5 billion for the month of November and rupees 12.15 billion for the month of December to provide the said relief
Cabinet nod to increase the number of new automated passenger clearance gates at the Bandaranayake International Airport to 12
Draft Bill for amending the Trust Ordinance
Implementing further relief programme to Public sffected by the Middle East conflict situation
Establishment of a Spectrum Management and Monitoring System and a Quality of Service and Quality of Experience System for the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka
Appointment of a Committee for the Restitution of Sri Lankan Cultural Heritage Held Abroad
Ten-Year National Action Plan on the Social Protection Sector (2026–2035)
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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