Dileep Mudadeniya Appointed as Chairman of the Tourism Advisory Committee

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism has announced the appointment of Dileep Mudadeniya, Senior Vice President of John Keells Holdings, as Chairman of the newly established Tourism Advisory Committee. Tasked with providing strategic direction, this committee will guide the government in shaping policies and initiatives that promote sustainable tourism development in alignment with national objectives.

Hon. Vijitha Herath, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, appointed the committee members, ensuring representation from a diverse group of industry leaders and experts. Their collective insights and experience will be instrumental in advancing Sri Lanka’s tourism sector.

The Advisory Committee members comprise of 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. Richard Nuttall – CEO, SriLankan Airlines, 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, Mr. Lasantha de Fonseka – Managing Director & Founder, Tiesh (Pvt) Ltd, Mr. Gerard George Ondaatjie – Deputy Chairman/Managing Director – Nuwaraeliya Hotels Company (PLC), Mr. Chandra Wickramasinghe – Chairman/MD, Connaissance de Ceylon & Thema Collection, Mr. Ajith Perera – Designer, Owner, Craft Tunnel, Mr. Dharshana Munidasa – Chef, Founder & Owner, Nihonbashi, Ministry of Crab and Prof. Sarath Munasinghe – Senior Lecturer, Department of Tourism Management, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka

With a distinguished career spanning over 30 years in the tourism and hospitality sector, Mudadeniya’s role as Chairman will be to offer strategic direction, share industry expertise, and propose policy recommendations that will contribute to a resilient and competitive tourism industry in Sri Lanka.

The Tourism Advisory Committee will work in collaboration with government agencies and private-sector stakeholders to address key priorities such as destination branding, tourism infrastructure, foreign investment, and regulatory reforms. The committee’s initiatives will emphasize public-private partnerships and responsible tourism practices to enhance Sri Lanka’s standing in the global travel market.