Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), the apex body representing the Destination Management Companies (DMC) industry in Sri Lanka, has elected Nalin Jayasundera, Managing Director of Aitken Spence Travels as its President.

In a press statement, SLAITO says that Jayasundera was unanimously elected as the SLAITO President at the 44th AGM held recently in Colombo. 

The statement adds that formally known as the Association of Group Tour Agents (AGTA), SLAITO was established in 1975 is an approved association of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. Its membership consists of over 200 DMCs in the formal tourism sector and destination management companies. 

The statement adds that SLAITO plays an integral role in all important private sector decision-making forums and has representations on the governing boards of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB), Sri Lanka Institute of Tourist Hotel Management (SLITHM) and Tourism Industry Skills Council.

SLAITO says it is confident of working together with all stakeholders to achieve the arrival and revenue targets prior to 2030

The statement adds that the event was attended by Buddhika Hewawasam, Chairman, Sri Lanka Tourism Development authority and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and Dheera Hettiarachchi, Chairman, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management, as well as Presidents of Tourism associations, notably THASL, SLAPCEO, ASMET, tourism authorities and members of SLAITO.    

The statement adds that the following office bearers were elected at the SLAITO Annual General Meeting for the year 2024/2025, including Nalin Jayasundera of Aitken Spence Travels, President, Nishad Wijetunga of Wayfarers, Immediate Past President, Bobby Jordan Hansen of Columbus Tours, Vice President, Gayangi Wirasinha of Abercrombie and Kent, Vice President, Charith de Alwis of Tangerine Tours and Nalaka Amaratunga of Walkers Tours as Honorary Secretary. 

The statement adds that in his inaugural speech, Nalin Jayasundera stated that SLAITO members are responsible for generating more than 70 pc of tourist arrivals in the formal tourism sector and spend over SLR 2 billion (USD 7 million) per annum for global destination promotions in addition to the TDL contribution. 

Jayasundera welcomed the government’s decision to recognise the private sector driven tourism industry as a priority industry and pledged the support of SLAITO  to achieve the government’s target of 4 million tourist arrivals with a revenue of USD 9 billion by year 2030. 

The statement adds that Jayasundera insisted on the immediate launch of the global tourism marketing campaign and the completion of important infrastructure development projects such as the airport expansion and the Colombo-Kandy highway. 

The statement adds that Jayasundera also highlighted the importance of creating a level playing field for all tourism stakeholders by regulating and facilitating the activities of all enterprises involved in tourism and all the line ministries working together with cohesion and better understating, introducing sustainable best practices and formulating strategies to address the human resource issue related to tourism to ensure benefits from tourism for the national economy. 

He stated that Sri Lanka Tourism had to get its marketing right, if not Sri Lanka will be the best kept secret in world tourism. To create the demand, it is important to work together with the foreign tour operators, the national carrier and other airlines, the diplomatic missions too have a major role to play. 

SLAITO says it is confident of working together with all stakeholders to achieve the arrival and revenue targets prior to 2030 and make tourism the biggest foreign exchange earner for the country.