Tourism Advisory Committee Appointed to Drive SL’s Tourism

Hon. Vijitha Herath, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, along with Hon. Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe, presided over the ceremony. During the event, the esteemed members of the committee received their official appointment letters and formally assumed their roles.

In his opening remarks, Hon. Minister Herath emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, “The Tourism Advisory Committee represents a collaborative effort to harness expertise, drive innovation, and uplift Sri Lanka’s position as a global tourism destination. We look forward to the valuable contributions of the newly appointed members in shaping the future of this vital sector.”

The ceremony was attended by key stakeholders and leaders across the tourism industry, reflecting the collective enthusiasm for fostering sustainable growth and promoting Sri Lanka as a preferred travel destination.

The Ministry extends its heartfelt congratulations to all appointees and appreciates their commitment to contributing toward the country’s economic development and cultural preservation through tourism.

Mr. Buddhika Hewawasam

Chairman – Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority & Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau

Mr. Dheera Hettiarachchi

Chairman – Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management and Sri Lanka Convention Bureau

Mr. Dileep Mudadenitya

Chairman – Tourism Advisory Committee, Senior Vice President – John Keells Holdings

Mr. Nihal Muhandiram

Vice President – EKHO Hotels and Resorts, Galle Face Hotels Group

Mr. Dharshana M. Perera

Senior Director General – Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism

Mr. Donald Rajapaksha

National Coordinator – Chamber of Tourism and Industry

Professor D.A.C. Suranga Silva

Coordinator – Sustainable Tourism Unit (STU), Faculty of Arts, Department of Economics, University of Colombo

( He is in abroad - not attending ? ) Mr. Lasantha de Fonseka

Managing Director & Founder – Tiesh (Pvt) Ltd

Mr. Chandra Wickramasinghe

Chairman/MD – Connaissance de Ceylon & Thema Collection

Mr. Ajith Perera

Designer, Owner – Craft Tunnel

Mr. Dharshana Munidasa

Chef, Creator & Owner – Nihonbashi, Ministry of Crabs

Dr. Sarath Munasinghe

Senior Lecturer – Department of Tourism Management, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka

Mr. Gerard George Ondaatjie

Deputy Chairman/Managing Director – Nuwaraeliya Hotels Company (PLC)