Business
Sri Lanka Tourism dominated by ‘vested interests’ of Colombo-based associations, say provincial service providers
by Sanath Nanayakkare
All Ceylon Tourism Service Providers Association (ACTSPA) told The Island Financial Review that three Colombo-based private sector tourism associations occupying seats on the Board of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority SLTDA, are not helping to make policies that harness the synergies of provincial level stakeholders to foster sustainable tourism at national level.
Suranjith Wevita, Secretary ACTSPA said that provincial-level travel agents, hoteliers in the informal sector, tourist guides, tourist vehicle owners, drivers, assistants, various expert experience-providers in adventure, safari, wellness/nature and heritage and other members of ACTSPA, seek ‘fair play’ against the ‘vested’ interests of the three private sector associations whom they say are not sensitive to the issues of core service providers in different tourist zones of the country.
“Tourism is a multi-service industry which requires the synergies of all stakeholders that make different offerings to foreign visitors in order to make their visits to Sri Lanka a memorable experience and get them to spread the word globally on social media platforms. To achieve this objective, there should be a lawful mechanism to ensure balance in decision making for all stakeholders and not just for a privileged few,” he said.
“Tourism is global sustainable industry on global norms on socio-economic sustainability and environmental sustainability. These sustainable criteria are monitored and governed by agencies such as Global Sustainable Tourism Council which is connected to United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Environmental Organisation (UNEO). In this context, discerning foreign visitors are keen to see that there are equitable dividends for all service providers in any country that they visit. Sri Lanka Tourism which is obviously controlled by SLAITO, TAASL and THASL have little regard for these global concepts and new trends in tourism.” he said.
“SLAITO and TAASL represent less than 30 % of destination management companies (DMCs) and high-end hotel association THASL represents only 5% of all rooms in the industry, yet they have a bigger say in making decisions that affect all of us. Tourism Act No. 38 of 2005 made provisions for these associations to take the upper hand over a myriad of other stakeholders in the industry and this has created an imbalance of the entire industry’s synergistic effort,” he said.
He further said:
“Even daily wages of guides, drivers and other service providers are decided by them violating global sustainable criteria, in the sole interest of making more profits for their companies. The. revenue generated towards SLTDA through the Tourism Development Levy of 1% charged from hotels and from part of embarkation tax is used to promote their travel agents and hotels through two agencies under SLTDA; namely Sri Lanka Tourism Convention Bureau and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. That’s another unfair practice.”
“They objected to increasing vehicle rates needed to operate within present higher costs and also objected to providing income support to a section of the service providers during the pandemic citing various reasons, as a result of which a large expert-workforce permanently left the industry. They even introduced unreasonable registration criteria to prevent small stakeholders from registering with the SLTDA.”
“UNDP, the European Union and the present administration of SLTDA having considered these anomalies had consultations with all ‘other stakeholders’ and came up with a new draft bill for Sri Lanka Tourism. It is designed to give representation to all service sectors by creating regional tourism chambers to address issues of all stakeholders and streamline different geographic requirements in different tourism zones. The bill has also clauses governing the decentralization of business registration process from the central control of the Colombo-based associations.”
“The bill also encourages fair trade policies to ensure earnings for all stakeholders in the service chain commensurate with their services, which has hitherto not been a practice in Sri Lanka tourism industry where some got the lion’s share while others were paid pea nuts.”
“The draft bill proposes a fund to support all registered stakeholders for training their staff. If this bill is passed in parliament and becomes an Act, it will give SLTDA more powers to withstand political and corporate pressure and be more independent and inclusive for everyone’s benefit.”
“Black money infusion is high in this industry as an international mechanism for money laundering which is true for Sri Lanka too, and such occurrences can be better monitored and tracked within a fair and transparent operational framework if this bill is passed into law.”
“Taking these facts into consideration, authorities should not allow a privileged few to wield their political and corporate power to undermine fair practices, sustainability and growth of this industry in the medium to long term. We should all keep in mind that tourists’ perception towards tourism businesses is much more discerning than it ever was in terms of fair trade practices, especially in tourism destinations in developing countries such as ours,” Suranjith Wewita said.
Pan Asia Banking Corporation PLC’s Senior Listed Rated Unsecured Redeemable Debenture issue of up to Rs. 5 billion was oversubscribed following its opening reflecting strong investor interest.
The debentures, with a par value of Rs. 100 each, will be listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). The three-year debentures offer an interest rate of 12.75% interest payable annually, while the five-year debentures offer 13.50% interest payable annually.
The issue has been assigned a BBB+ (Stable) rating by Lanka Rating Agency.
The debenture issue was managed by the Investment Banking Unit of Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC, with SSP Corporate Services (Private) Limited serving as the Registrar to the Issue.
The Bank said the strong investor response demonstrates continued confidence in Pan Asia Bank and its approach to creating long-term value for its stakeholders.
Pan Asia Bank, which positions itself as ‘The Truly Sri Lankan Bank’, continues to strengthen its role in supporting the financial requirements of individuals and businesses while contributing to the development of Sri Lanka’s economy.
Business
SLIIT International and Liverpool John Moores University inaugurate dedicated international learning facility
The Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), United Kingdom, recently inaugurated SLIIT International in Collaboration with LJMU, a dedicated international learning facility located at No. 17, Dickmans Road, Colombo 04, marking a significant milestone in a partnership spanning more than a decade and reinforcing their commitment to providing Sri Lankan students with access to internationally recognised UK higher education qualifications.
The Grand Opening Ceremony was attended by Andrew Patrick, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, who graced the occasion as Chief Guest, alongside senior representatives from SLIIT, Liverpool John Moores University, the British Council, academia, industry and other stakeholders, marking the next chapter of the longstanding SLIIT–LJMU collaboration. The new facility is particularly significant as Sri Lanka’s first academic facility dedicated exclusively to the delivery of LJMU degree programmes, reflecting the strength, maturity and long-term commitment of the partnership.
Over the past decade, the SLIIT–LJMU partnership has established a growing network of more than 1,500 alumni, while providing Sri Lankan students with opportunities to gain internationally recognised UK qualifications locally. The new dedicated facility has been designed to provide a world-class learning environment exclusively for LJMU programmes, supporting future programme expansion, strengthening the student experience and creating opportunities for deeper academic collaboration, innovation, research and student engagement.
Commenting on the milestone, Prof. Lalith Gamage – Vice-Chancellor, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, SLIIT, stated, “The launch of SLIIT International in Collaboration with Liverpool John Moores University represents an important new chapter in our longstanding partnership with Liverpool John Moores University. Our vision is to provide Sri Lankan students with a world-class education and student experience right here in Sri Lanka, while equipping them with the global outlook, critical thinking, professional capabilities and career readiness required to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world. This dedicated facility strengthens the student experience while providing a strong foundation for the continued growth of our collaboration with LJMU.”
Prof. Timothy Nichol, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Society and Culture, Liverpool John Moores University, said, “The opening of Sri Lanka’s first facility dedicated exclusively to LJMU degree programmes represents a significant milestone for the University and our partnership with SLIIT. It reflects the strength of our collaboration and our shared commitment to delivering a high-quality LJMU educational experience in Sri Lanka. The new facility also creates exciting opportunities for deeper academic collaboration, innovation, research and student engagement as we look towards the next phase of our partnership.”
A key highlight of the Grand Opening Ceremony was the panel discussion titled “Beyond Borders: The Role of British Higher Education in Developing Globally Competitive Graduates.” The discussion examined the growth of international educational opportunities in Sri Lanka, the future expansion of UK degree programmes, maintaining the quality and integrity of UK qualifications, developing future-ready graduates with global competencies, and the role of international higher education in strengthening graduate employability. The panel brought together Prof. Lalith Gamage; Prof. Timothy Nichol; Mr. Sajeewa Meepage, Representative of the British Council; and Dr. Harsha Cabral, Board Member of SLIIT.
The panelists further emphasized on emerging trends in areas including law, business, psychology and artificial intelligence, as well as the contribution of UK higher education to Sri Lanka through internationally recognised qualifications that uphold global academic standards.
The discussion explored the history and future of the SLIIT–LJMU partnership, the strategic significance of the new SLIIT International facility, academic quality, graduate employability and the long-term growth of LJMU programmes in Sri Lanka.
The ceremony also featured a special address by Andrew Patrick, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, followed by an address by Mrs. Clare Sears, Country Director, British Council Sri Lanka. The evening also included the ceremonial exchange of the partnership document between SLIIT International and Liverpool John Moores University, symbolising the continued commitment of both institutions to strengthening their collaboration and expanding international educational opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
Dijital Team has signed a two-year partnership with Winsys City University, strengthening the skills and capabilities of its team members to support Managed Service Providers and IT service providers while elevating tech talent to immediate industry-readiness. With a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed recently, the partnership was formally launched on 9 September 2026 at Dijital Team’s office premises, Colombo.
Combining Dijital Teams’ international employer network and understanding of the capability requirements of MSPs and IT service providers across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom with Winsys City University’s training heritage of 21 years, the joint programmes create legitimate classroom-to-international-career pathways, offering structured learning and certification avenues that support deeper capability across cloud, cybersecurity, automation, AI and emerging technologies.
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