Friday Nov 15, 2024
Friday Nov 15, 2024
Tuesday, 20 September 2016 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka having the rare distinction of hosting the first Corporate Rotaract Club globally, the Singer Rotaract Club celebrated its charter installation with the keynote speaker being top nation brand marketer Dr. Rohantha Athukorala, former Chairman and Board Director of Sri Lanka Export Development Board, former Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism and current Chairman of the Rs. 32 billion Lanka Sathosa.
Athukorala cited how Thailand’s thriving tourism economy contributed $ 81.6 billion in 2015, which is nearly 21% of GDP and supported six million jobs which is almost 5% of the country’s employment even with all the internal issues faced in the country. This was possible due to its focused private sector and organisations like Rotary supporting the economy, he said, commending top multinationals like Singer for facilitating the Rotaract agenda in Sri Lanka. The new President installed was Sajeni Pandithage.
The speaker went on to say: “Despite the bomb attack at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok in August 2015, Thailand’s visitors grew by 20% last year to 30 million travellers and the money they spent grew by 25% over the same period, which is the power of branding to a country when under attack. This same performance was seen in the export industry of Thailand even after the devastating floods which is why organisations like Rotaract linking with the top private sector like Singer gives a strong thrust to a country.”
Dr. Athukorala who is also the Rotary District Chairman for Sri Lanka and Maldives requested the new President to connect more to the world of Rotaract and Rotary to really get the benefits on the time invested.
He went on to state that all organisations in Sri Lanka must have Rotaract clubs so that the global networking helps business and grows the talent among the youngsters for personal development given the macro thrust by the Government to connect to the West and thereby make Sri Lanka a 100 billion dollar economy and a power brand in South Asia.
