Goonewardene to lead overall operations at Santani

Chamindra Goonewardene has taken up the role of Director of Operations at Santani Resort and Spa. Goonewardene, who previously was the head of marketing at the luxury wellness property will now oversee the entire operation of both the resort and the administrative teams. 

Santani Founder and CEO Vickum Nawagamuwage said, “Chamindra has demonstrated leadership during his time at Santani and we felt that he was the right fit to lead the property in its next stage of growth. The next year is an important year for the team, and we look forward to consistently delivering a world class product and to innovate and stay ahead of the curve.”

Goonewardene, who received his undergraduate degree at Duke University in North Carolina and his MBA at the University of Leicester, also attended the Professional Development Program at Cornell University, which is considered one of the top ranking hospitality schools in the world. Goonewardene stated, “It was an honour to be able to go to New York and represent Sri Lanka at a globally recognised program with attendees from leading hospitality institutions across the world. I’m thankful to Vickum and the rest of the team for showing confidence and trust in me. This also highlights Santani’s commitment to providing a globally competitive product by offering this level of international exposure to members of our team.” 

Discussions with Cornell University have also been initiated in order to work with the Sri Lankan Tourism industry to carry out further training through their off-site customised development programs, their online training programs, and also by creating funding for more individuals to attend this program in New York. 

Goonewardene added, “This sort of training really helps us leverage our strengths as a resort and more importantly, it gives us the opportunity to pass on knowledge to others on our team and in the industry. For too long, hotel school and hospitality has had a negative stigma attached to it. Given the expected demand and the evolving roles in the coming years due to the emergence of tourism as a key driver of the economy, there is a necessity for young professionals from different academic backgrounds to enter this sector.” 

Santani has multiple expansion plans that are currently in the works and is expected to continue with elevating the luxury hospitality landscape in the country. Located in Werapitiya, which is an hour outside of Kandy, Santani has been recognised by a number of global publications as one of the top new properties and spas in the world. More information about the resort can be accessed at www.santani.lk.