Maahen re-elected as President of Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators

Seated from left: Nilmin Nanayakkara, SLAITO Treasurer Bobby Hansen, SLAITO Immediate Past President Harith Perera, SLAITO Vice President Thilak Weerasinghe, SLAITO President Mahen Kariyawasan, SLAITO Vice President Gayangi Wirasinha, SLAITO Secretary Nishad Wijetunga, Shiromal Cooray and Chandra Wickramasinghe. Standing from left: Charith De Alwis, Rohan Abeywickrema, SLAITO Senior Asst. Secretary General – Associations Ushendrini Amerasinghe, Nalin Jayasundera, Nalaka Amarathunga, Chaminda Dias, Nushani Ediriweera, Nalin Malwenna and SLAITO Chief Operating Officer Wing Commander Kumuda Eramudugolla

Maahen Kariyawasan, the Managing Director of Andrew the Travel Company Ltd., was elected for the second time as the President of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO).

He was elected for the post, during the 39thAnnual General Meeting of SLAITO, which was held on Friday 6 September at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel Colombo.

Apart from Kariyawasan’s election as President for the year 2019/2020 period, Thilak Weerasinghe, Chairman of LSR Ltd., and Gayangi Wirasinha, MD of Abercrombie & Kent Sri Lanka Ltd., were elected as Vice Presidents. Nishad Wijetunga, MD of Wayfarers, was elected as the Secretary and Bobby Jorden Hansen, MD of Columbus Tours Ltd., was elected as the Treasurer and Harith Perera of Hemas Holdings as the Immediate Past President.

The following persons were elected to the Executive Committee of SLAITO for the period of 2019/2020: Nalin Jayasundera, MD of Aitken Spence Travels; Nushani Ediriweera, Director Sales and Marketing of Ceylon Tours Ltd.; Chandra Wickramasinghe, Chairman of Connaissance De Ceylan; Paddy Paul, MD of Golden Isle Travels Ltd.; Rohan Abeywickrema, MD of Hawn Travels Ltd.; Amith Sumanapala, CEO of Hayleys Tours Ltd.; Nalin Malwenna, MD of House of Travels & Tourism Ltd.; Shiromal Cooray, Chairperson of Jetwing Travels Ltd.; Devindre Senaratne, MD of JourneyScapes Ltd.; Chaminda Dias, MD of Luxe Asia Ltd.; Nilmin Nanayakkara, MD of NKAR Travels & Tours Ltd.; Charith De Alwis, GM of Tangerine Tours Ltd.; and Nalaka Amaratunga, CEO of Walkers Tours Ltd.

The Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) was formally known as Association of Group Tour Agents (AGTA) and was established in 1975.  In 2002, AGTA was reconstituted as SLAITO. 

SLAITO is recognised as the APEX body for inbound tourism and the membership handles 90% of all inbound tourists in the organised tourism sector.

SLAITO plays an integral role in all important private sector decision-making forums and is affiliated to the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

At present the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators has a membership of 250.