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Kia Motors (Lanka) appoints COO Andrew Perera as Managing Director

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Kia Motors (Lanka) Limited has announced the appointment of Andrew Perera, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) as Managing Director, in which capacity he will provide continuing leadership to the Company’s and the Kia brand’s next phase of growth in Sri Lanka.

Mr Perera joined Kia Motors as COO in January 2013 and has played a pivotal role in the development and expansion of Kia’s aftersales service infrastructure and regional presence in Sri Lanka over nearly nine years. He was appointed an Executive Director of the Company in 2015 in recognition of his contributions and his value to the Board.

Announcing the appointment, Kia Motors (Lanka) Chairman Mr Mahen Thambiah said: “Andrew’s expertise, commitment, drive and energy have been an asset to Kia Motors during good as well as challenging times. With his support we have persevered with our expansion and restructuring plans even through the period marred by the global pandemic and local restrictions, and we look forward to his continuing leadership in the exciting years ahead of us.”

Commenting on his new role as Managing Director of Kia Motors (Lanka), Mr Perera said: “On the international stage, Kia is undergoing a transformation and reinvention that is designed to propel the brand to a leading position in the global car market. This is focused on developing more class-leading electric vehicles like the EV6, and introducing a broad range of sustainable mobility services tailored to meet the needs and tastes of individuals and local markets. I believe that the best of Kia is ahead of us, and I am delighted to take up the challenge of driving the brand’s next phase of growth in Sri Lanka.”



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President outlines a bold vision for Sri Lanka tourism at THASL’s 58th AGM

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Addressing the 58th Annual General Meeting of The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) held on Monday (27) at Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, President Ranil Wickremesinghe outlined a comprehensive strategy to propel the country’s tourism sector to new heights. Focused on surpassing the target of 5 million tourists and redefining traditional approaches, the President’s vision extends to achieving 7.5 million visitors in the coming years. The President emphasized the need for innovative thinking and collaboration within the industry to ensure sustainable growth.

“When I took over the government, I realized that sustainability alone is not sufficient. How are we going to earn foreign exchange? How are we going to have a positive balance of trade? In that, there were many suggestions. But what is the low-hanging fruit? And one of the low-hanging fruits was tourism. Let’s promote tourism fully,” President Wickremesinghe declared.

The President acknowledged the need to move beyond the existing framework and embrace competition to elevate Sri Lanka’s standing in the global tourism market. Drawing parallels with countries like Vietnam, he questioned why they had more tourists despite being in the industry for a shorter period. President Wickremesinghe stressed the importance of increasing the number of tourists to 2.5 million in the upcoming year and subsequently expanding on this figure.

(PMD)

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Free visas for nationals of China, India, Indonesia, Russsia, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan from Monday (27)

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The Controller General of Immigration and Emigration has stated that nationals of China, India, Indonesia, Russsia, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan will be granted free visas from Monday 27-11-2023 to 31-03-2024 as a pilot program to rebuild the tourism industry.

Nationals of the above nominated countries possessing, Diplomatic, Official, Public Affairs, Services and Ordinary Passports are eligible to enjoy a visa free regime under this scheme.

The above mentioned nationals should apply for Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before arriving in Sri Lanka subject to granting / issuing free of charge up to 31-03-2024.

Under this scheme tourists can enjoy a 30 days free visa period and a double entry facility is permitted within 30 days from the date of first arrival in Sri Lanka.

Free ETA under this scheme can be applied up to 31-03-2024.

The free ETA cannot be extended further and is limited only to thirty (30) days. In case the free ETA period of 30 days expires after 31-03-2024, an extension of visa could be applied subject to paying the appropriate fee.

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Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia prioritize economic ties in apparel and tourism sectors

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The Minister of Economy and Planning for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Faisal F. Alibrahim, met with President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday (27) at the Presidential Secretariat.

During the discussions, Minister Faisal F. Alibrahim emphasized Saudi Arabia’s keen interest in strengthening economic ties with Sri Lanka across various sectors, including apparels and tourism. He elucidated that his government was focused on expanding economic relations within the region and regarded Sri Lanka with significant importance.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe welcomed the Minister’s comments, asserting that Sri Lanka is actively promoting enhanced cooperation in Asia, including West Asia. He further highlighted that the tourism and agriculture sectors were areas open to greater investment, as the country is committed to modernizing these domains.

(PMD)

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