Vijitha appoints new Tourism Advisory Committee

Wednesday, 19 March 2025 00:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Destination marketing specialist Dileep Mudadeniya to head group of industry leaders, professionals and stakeholders with diverse backgrounds
Committee will advice Govt. on strategic and sustainable development, enhancing growth of industry in line with National Tourism Policy

Some of the best brains in the industry have been appointed to the latest Tourism Advisory Committee by Minister Vijitha Herath.

The Committee is established under Section 32 of the Tourism Act No. 38 of 2005. Its mandate is to advise the Government on strategic and sustainable tourism development, enhancing the growth of the tourism industry in line with the National Tourism Policy.

The new Committee brings together various industry leaders, professionals and stakeholders with diverse backgrounds to ensure a holistic approach to achieving the objectives outlined in the National Tourism Policy, according to official sources.

The new Chairman of the Tourism Advisory Committee is young leader Dileep Mudadeniya who is the Senior Vice President at John Keells Holdings PLC.

Other members are Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam, Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management and Sri Lanka Convention Bureau Chairman Dheera Hettiarachchi, SriLankan Airlines CEO Richard Nuttall, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Senior Director General – Economic Affairs Dharshana M. Perera, University of Colombo Sustainable Tourism Unit (STU), Faculty of Arts, Department of Economics, Professor D.A.C. Suranga Silva, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka Senior Lecturer – Department of Tourism Management Prof. Sarath Munasinghe, Nihonbashi, Ministry of Crabs Chef, Creator and Owner Dharshana Munidasa, Nuwaraeliya Hotels Company (PLC) Deputy Chairman/Managing Director Gerard George Ondaatjie, Connaissance de Ceylon and Thema Collection Chairman/MD Chandra Wickramasinghe, EKHO Hotels and Resorts, Galle Face Hotels Group Vice President Nihal Muhandiram, Tiesh Ltd. Managing Director and Founder Lasantha de Fonseka, Craft Tunnel Designer, Owner Ajith Perera, and Chamber of Tourism and Industry National Coordinator Donald Rajapaksha.

For 2025, Sri Lanka Tourism aims to achieve an ambitious three million visitors and $ 5 billion in income. The Government has also set an ambitious goal of attracting five million tourists by 2030.

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry proved its resilience and made a strong comeback in 2024—registering 2.05 million tourists and generating over $ 3.2 billion in revenue, a 52.38% YoY increase.

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