Business
Santani hailed as Best Wellness Retreat in the World by Travel+Leisure India
Travel+Leisure’s readership voted for their favourite wellness retreat in the world and have chosen Santani, Sri Lanka as the best in the world. Santani’s unique and scientific approach to wellness and ayurveda has made it stand out once again, with Travel + Leisure elaborating:
” Built with the belief that human beings heal and thrive when surrounded by nature, Santani Wellness Resort & Spa in Sri Lanka features sustainable architecture and minimalist interiors, designed to preserve its green environment. They have added to the global sustainability discussion by introducing the game changing concept of “Human Sustainability” that drives everything at Santani.
Being located on a 120-acre former tea plantation, surrounded by a lush green forest, makes the resort both secluded and accessible. Sri Lanka’s first full-fledged destination spa resort believes its success relies on encouraging practices that guests can carry home to continue a healthier lifestyle. It offers programmes that are fully customisable to suit your needs, with a combination of methods such as Ayurveda, yoga, spa treatments, and digital detox.”
Aindrila Mitra, Editor of Travel+Leisure India said, “Celebrating the 10th edition this year, we are felicitating trendsetters and trailblazers in the fields of travel and leisure, in addition to our other popular categories. These 10 special categories will felicitate game changers in the fields of conservation, travel photography and storytelling, sustainability, wellness, design, F&B, climate change awareness, community tourism and more.”
CEO and Founder of Santani Wellness Resort, Vickum Nawagamuwage commented on the latest accolade. “We are thankful yet again, especially in times like this, to our guests who keeps coming back and voted us as the best in the world, Travel+Leisure, our travel industry partners, and everyone who banded together to help us achieve this laurel. Special thank goes to the team at Santani. This recognition is proof that we have maintained our sometimes-impossible standards through the worst period for global tourism in recent times. We’re taking this recognition to move forward from the COVID-19 challenge by expanding our footprint globally”.
When asked about what expansion plans were in the pipeline, Vickum said, “the global demand for wellness is growing exponentially and we want to grow the brand through our own properties as well as management contracts. We are also creating a mid-market brand centered around the same unique concepts that made Santani a world class brand. We have already secured several management contracts and are in discussions with other owners/developers to build/operate properties in Sri Lanka as well as globally”.
Recently celebrating its fifth anniversary, Santani has become one of the most celebrated hotels in the world in record speed. The Santani brand imbues purpose into everything from the modern, sustainable architecture to the once-in-a-lifetime gastronomic experience, to the perfect union of modern and ancient wellness methods. Everything that happens during your stay at Santani, happens by design.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka today (07) presented its flagship publication, the Annual Economic Review for 2024 (AER 2024), to President and Minister of Finance, Anura Kumara Disanayake, highlighting the steady progress of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery following the country’s most severe downturn in recent history.
The report was officially handed over by Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank, during a special ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat.
AER 2024 comprises four main chapters: Macroeconomic Developments, Conditions of the Financial System, Review of Central Bank’s Policies and Macroeconomic Outlook.
According to the Review, the Sri Lankan economy showed significant signs of recovery in 2024, following the deep economic crisis experienced two years ago. The recovery trajectory, though challenging, has been notably faster than that of many other debt-distressed countries.
Improvements in economic activity, a partial resurgence in purchasing power and reduced uncertainty are among the key positive indicators noted in the report.
The event was attended by Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, K. M. Mahinda Siriwardena, Secretary to the Treasury, Mrs. K. M. A. N. Daulagala, Senior Deputy Governor, Dr. C. Amarasekara, Assistant Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) S. Jegajeevan, Director of Economic Research and Dr. L. R. C. Pathberiya and Additional Director of Economic Research at the Central Bank Dr. V. D. Wickramarachchi.
[PMD]
Business
IceWarp expands into Sri Lanka, fostering European innovation in collaboration with FentonsIT
IceWarp, a global leader in business communication solutions, has officially launched its cutting-edge platform in Sri Lanka, bringing European expertise in email and collaboration solutions to support the country’s evolving business landscape.
This expansion is driven by a strategic partnership with Fentons Information Technology (FIT), the Information Technology arm of Hayleys Fentons Limited.
The grand launch event held at The Kingsbury Colombo on 4th April, 2025, was graced by several distinguished guests, including Chief Guest Mohan Pandithage, Chairman and Chief Executive of Hayleys PLC.
The presence of Adam Paclt, Global CEO of IceWarp, and Pramod Sharda, CEO for India and the Middle East of IceWarp, along with their global team, highlighted the significance of this expansion. Industry experts, government officials, corporate leaders, and CIOs from the banking, financial services and insurance sectors were in attendance as well, reflecting strong local interest in IceWarp’s European expertise.
With this launch, Sri Lankan businesses now have access to an affordable, scalable and secure alternative to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. IceWarp’s advanced Collaboration Suite integrates a wide range of tools into a single, unified platform designed to streamline communication and boost productivity. Offering flexible hybrid deployment options and cost-efficient solution, IceWarp enables organisations to optimise their operations without compromising security or functionality.
Eventistry Sports, a trailblazer in innovative sporting events, has unveiled the Sri Lanka Padel League (SLPL), the nation’s first franchise-based padel tournament, set to debut in June 2025. This groundbreaking league promises to redefine Sri Lanka’s sports landscape by creating a dynamic national platform for athletes while fostering unity among fans, brands, and communities.
The SLPL will showcase six franchise teams, each embodying the spirit of iconic Sri Lankan locales: the Colombo Chargers, Yala Rangers, Hikkaduwa Riders, Ella Hawks, Arugambay Vipers, and Trinco Warriors. These teams will not only ignite regional pride but also unite the country through a shared passion for padel—a fast-paced racquet sport merging tennis and squash, played on enclosed courts.
“The SLPL is more than a league; it’s a movement,” declared Karin Wijeratne, Director of Eventistry Sports. “By blending franchise sports with Sri Lanka’s vibrant culture, we’re creating a platform where players gain national recognition, fans rally behind their hometown heroes, and brands engage with communities in meaningful ways.”
The league’s launch on June 21–23, 2025, at Colombo’s Padel House courts (CR&FC) will kick off with three days of high-octane matches, preceded by a star-studded player auction on May 16th at The Vault, Colombo City Centre. Local talent—both professional and intermediate—will be drafted by franchise owners, with international registrations now open to elevate the competition’s global appeal.
Please log in to: www.slpadelleague.com and social media: @SriLankaPadelLeague (Facebook & Instagram) for more information.
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