Pacific Asia Travel Association Sri Lanka Chapter elects new team

Committee members. Standing from left: PATA Sri Lanka Chapter Secretary Ishara Sooriyaarachchi, SriLankan Airlines Manager Network Eng and Development Panduka Weerathne, Aitken Spence Travels Assistant Vice President Anil Hapugoda, Tallman Tours Managing Director Zahara Cader, Pan Lanka Travels & Tours Director Ratten Abdulhussein, Silver Line Tours Managing Director Shamali De Vaz, Red Apple Travel & Holidays Lanka Managing Director Nipuna Lokuhetty, Jetwing Hotels Managing Director Ruan Samarasinghe, and Mahaweli Reach Hotels Managing Director Jayantha Panabokke. Seated from left: Travelserv Director Sega Nagendra, Denesh Silva, Mahaweli Reach Hotels Executive Director Asitha Panabokke (Chairman), Viluxur Holidays Director Cammy Gunasekera (Vice Chairman), Jetwing Hotels Manager Operations Dimitri Cooray (Vice Chairman), and Lanka Sportreizen Hussain Jayah (Imme. Past Chairman) 

• Mahaweli Reach Hotels Executive Director Asitha Panabokke takes over as new Chairman

The Annual General Meeting of the PATA Sri Lanka Chapter was held on 11 July at the Barnes, Jetwing Colombo 07. 

The Sri Lanka Chapter facilitates its members within Sri Lanka in conducting their varied businesses within the hospitality sector in a more effective manner and providing access to international commercial contacts. The key aim is to promote Sri Lanka as a destination using the PATA network. The Chapter functions under the aegis of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

Mahaweli Reach Hotels PLC Executive Director Asitha Panabokke was elected as the Chairman for the year 2019/2020.

Viluxur Holidays Director Cammy Gunasekera and Jetwing Hotels Ltd. Manager – Operations Dimitri Cooray were elected as Joint Vice Chairmen. 

The following members were elected to the Committee of the PATA Sri Lanka Chapter: 

Aitken Spence Travels Ltd. Assistant Vice President Anil Hapugoda, Hamoos Travels Ltd. Head of Operations Mahesh Wanigasekara, Tallman Tours Ltd. Managing Director Zahara Cader, and Red Apple Travels & Holidays Lanka Ltd. Managing Director Nipuna Lokuhetty.

The following members were invited to serve on the Board of Advisors of the PATA Sri Lanka Chapter:

Jetwing Hotels Ltd. Managing Director Ruan Samarasinghe, Mahaweli Reach Hotels PLC Managing Director Jayantha Panabokke, Pan Lanka Travels & Tours Ltd. Director Ratten Abdulhussein, and Silver Line Tours Ltd. Managing Director Shamali De Vaz, Travelserv Ltd. Director Sega Nagendra. Hussain Jayah will join the committee in his capacity as the Immediate Past Chairman.

Chamila Malkanthi, Manager – Research Development and Training of Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB), Representative of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and Panduka Weerathna, Manager Network Engineering and Development at Sri Lankan Airlines will be joining in an ex-officio capacity.

The membership of the Chapter consists of 70 local members, comprising travel agents, tour operators, sightseeing operators, ground/water transportation operators and hoteliers whose businesses are situated within the geographical area of Sri Lanka.