Business

World Tourism Day 2025: Sri Lanka Tourism Expo showcases youth, sustainability, and global leadership

Published

12 months ago

2025/09/24

SL’s youth taking part in tourism-linked programs with great joy.

Sri Lanka is set to celebrate World Tourism Day 2025 with one of the most ambitious and wide-ranging series of events the industry has seen in recent years. Organized under the global UNWTO theme of “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation,” the programme reflects the country’s determination to place its youth, SMEs, and academic excellence at the centre of tourism’s future. From competitions in the provinces to international conferences at BMICH, this year’s Expo marks not just a celebration but a reimagining of Sri Lanka’s role in global tourism.

The initiative is jointly organized by the Ministry of Tourism, the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management (SLITHM), the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), and the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), alongside the Alumni Association of Tourism Economics & Hospitality Management (AATEHM) and the Sustainable Tourism Unit of the University of Colombo. The collaboration itself is a reflection of the multi-stakeholder approach Sri Lanka is adopting to build resilience, promote innovation, and prepare the next generation of tourism leaders.

Building on a Strong Legacy

The Sri Lanka Tourism Expo has become a recognized platform for showcasing the country’s talent, creativity, and industry potential. Since its inception, it has combined professional competitions, knowledge-sharing, and business networking in ways that have left lasting impressions on both participants and audiences.

The first Expo in 2021, held at One Galle Face Mall, set the tone by bringing the energy of the hospitality industry into a public space. Hoteliers from leading establishments took part in food and beverage competitions, testing their skills in cocktail-making, mocktail preparation, and live cooking contests. These events were not just spectacles; they highlighted the artistry and professionalism of Sri Lanka’s hospitality workforce, drawing large crowds and engaging the public with the industry in a celebratory way.

In 2022, the Expo returned with even greater ambition. Once again hosted at One Galle Face, it expanded its programme to include the Colombo Travel Mart, organized in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO). This marked a turning point, as the Expo began to serve not only as a stage for showcasing talent but also as a serious platform for business-to-business networking and industry growth. Travel agents, tour operators, and hoteliers connected with international partners, underlining Sri Lanka’s potential to attract investment and build market linkages.

The 2022 edition also featured panel discussions, where academics, policymakers, and private-sector leaders addressed contemporary issues in tourism. These dialogues set the groundwork for what has now become a central feature of the Expo — the recognition that tourism requires not only creative and operational excellence but also strategic foresight and collaboration across sectors.

Together, the 2021 and 2022 Expos created a strong foundation. They demonstrated the value of bringing together competitions, fairs, business linkages, and policy dialogue under one umbrella. These experiences have directly informed the 2025 edition, which now integrates youth through school competitions, entrepreneurs through SME awareness programmes, and international expertise through the research conference and leaders’ summit.

By revisiting its past and scaling up its ambition, the Sri Lanka Tourism Expo 2025 carries forward this legacy, aiming to position Sri Lanka as a destination where talent, innovation, and collaboration converge to shape the future of tourism.

Grassroots Competitions Across Provinces

The programme commenced on 1 September 2025 with the provincial rounds of the All-Island School Tourism Club Competitions. Conducted in partnership with SLITHM, these competitions brought together enthusiastic students from all nine provinces to showcase their talents in culinary arts, food and beverage service, housekeeping, and tourism knowledge. The venues spanned the island: SLITHM Jaffna for the Northern Province, SLITHM Kurunegala for the North Western, SLITHM Ratnapura for Sabaragamuwa, SLITHM Bandarawela for Uva, Mindada Hotel Ampara for the Eastern Province, SLITHM Kandy for the Central Province, SLITHM Koggala for the Southern Province, SLITHM Colombo for the Western Province, and SLITHM Anuradhapura for the North Central Province.

(Ministry of Tourism)

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Business

HNB Finance strengthens Board with four independent directors

Published

3 hours ago

2026/09/13

Thilina Walpola

Newly appointed HNB FINANCE PLC Independent Non- Executive Directors (from left): Renuke Wijayawardhane, Shanti Gnanapragasam, Nabiha Mohamed and Dr. Thisuri Wanniarachchi

HNB FINANCE PLC has strengthened its Board with the appointment of four Independent Non-Executive Directors, effective September 8, 2026.

The new directors are Renuke Wijayawardhane, Shanti Gnanapragasam, Nabiha Mohamed and Dr. Thisuri Wanniarachchi, who collectively bring extensive experience in financial regulation, banking, risk management, corporate finance, investment strategy, development finance and public policy.

Wijayawardhane, an Attorney-at-Law and capital market professional, retired in July 2025 as Chief Regulatory Officer of the Colombo Stock Exchange after more than 31 years with the Exchange. His experience covers securities regulation, corporate governance, market infrastructure and compliance.

Gnanapragasam has over four decades of banking experience spanning treasury, risk management, credit and trade finance. She currently serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director of Cargills Bank, Wealth Trust and Vision Fund Lanka.

Mohamed is a corporate finance and investment professional who previously served as Lead Transaction Advisor at the State-Owned Enterprise Restructuring Unit of the Ministry of Finance, where she led five divestiture transactions worth over US$600 million.

Dr. Wanniarachchi brings over a decade of experience in development finance, institutional reform and social protection, including work with the World Bank and the Government of Sri Lanka.

Business

Prime Residencies hands over The Palace Gampaha

Published

3 hours ago

2026/09/13

Thilina Walpola

Prime Group Chairman Premalal Brahmanage speaking at the event

Prime Lands Residencies PLC has completed and officially handed over The Palace Gampaha, described as the largest planned gated residential community in Gampaha, to its homeowners.

The development, which commenced construction in 2021, is located two kilometres from Gampaha town and 100 metres from the Colombo-Kandy main road.

Spread across 13.5 acres, The Palace Gampaha comprises 480 two- and three-bedroom apartments in a ground-plus-three-floor development, with prices starting from Rs. 27.5 million.

The project allocates about 80% of its land to landscaped areas and common facilities, while the remaining 20% is used for apartment development. Facilities include a swimming pool, gymnasium, clubhouse, library, community kitchen, laundry, mini-mart and a daycare centre managed by the Lyceum Group.

The fully gated community also incorporates solar power for common areas, underground electricity cabling and a sewage treatment plant with water recycling facilities.

Prime Residencies said all statutory approvals required for the handover had been secured, including certifications from the Condominium Management Authority and registration of the Condominium Plan and Deed of Declaration.

Prime Group Chairman Premalal Brahmanage said the project reflected the company’s vision of creating large-scale residential communities designed to enhance the quality of life of Sri Lankan families.

The project is the latest addition to Prime Group’s portfolio of more than 70 gated community and apartment developments.

Business

SLANA warns NVOCC business losing ground amid THC concerns

Published

3 hours ago

2026/09/13

Thilina Walpola

SLANA Chairperson Swabha Wickramasinghe presenting a memento to Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka at the eventually

Sri Lanka’s Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) sector is losing ground despite the expansion of the industry in several regional markets, Sri Lanka Association of NVOCC Agents (SLANA) Chairperson Swabha Wickramasinghe said.

Wickramasinghe, re-elected for a third consecutive term at SLANA’s ninth Annual General Meeting last week said the continued difficulty in collecting Colombo Terminal Handling Charges (THC) as a separate land-based cost was among the key challenges facing the industry.

She said the practice placed Sri Lanka at a competitive disadvantage as principals consider the overall economics of operating through Colombo.

“When Sri Lanka becomes less commercially attractive compared with other regional destinations, the consequences eventually reach our members,” she said.

Wickramasinghe said a committee had been proposed at a recent meeting with the Minister and Deputy Minister to evaluate the THC issue, urging the authorities to expedite its appointment and review.

She also called for an early solution to the problem of uncleared salt containers at the Port of Colombo, which has resulted in delays in releasing empty containers.

With more than 75 NVOCC lines operating in Sri Lanka, she stressed the sector’s importance to regional trade, particularly links with India and China.

Ports Minister Anura Karunathilaka said Sri Lanka should expand regional business while exploring areas such as bunkering, freight forwarding and e-commerce logistics.