Wednesday Aug 19, 2026
Wednesday Aug 19, 2026
Wednesday, 19 August 2026 03:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
From left: THASL Vice President and Sri Lanka Tourism Excellence Awards 2026 Steering Committee Chairman Eksath Wijerathne, SLTPB Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam and THASL President Asoka Hettigoda unveiling the Trophy of Sri Lanka Tourism Excellence Awards – Pic by Sameera Wijesinghe
By Charumini de Silva
The Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) on Monday announced the launch of the first-ever Sri Lanka Tourism Excellence Awards 2026, a national initiative aimed at recognising outstanding performance in the tourism and hospitality industry, while raising the sector’s standards and global competitiveness.
The awards will recognise hotels, restaurants, tourism marketers and hospitality service providers demonstrating excellence in service, customer experience, product quality, innovation, sustainability, operational performance and leadership.
As the largest private-sector investor in the industry with investments exceeding $ 15 billion, the move to launch an award scheme was originally unveiled by THASL under the new leadership at a multi-pronged strategic roadmap designed to elevate service standards, aggressively digitise the local hospitality landscape and convene global stakeholders.
THASL President Asoka Hettigoda said the initiative was intended to go beyond recognising individual achievements and create a culture of continuous improvement across the industry.
“Excellence is more than simply being good. It is a continuous pursuit of doing things better. It is about creating value, challenging ourselves to improve and consistently exceeding reasonable expectations,” he said at the launch event on Monday.
The awards framework has been developed with reference to internationally recognised excellence models and adapted to Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. The assessment will cover seven broad dimensions, including service and guest experience, product quality, innovation and global reach, sustainability and responsible tourism, operational and financial performance, people, leadership and governance, and destination and socioeconomic impact.
It is mandatory for the applicants to be registered with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) for at least three years. Applications are now open and the deadline for submissions are set for 30 November 2026.
He said the awards would provide participating organisations with an opportunity to benchmark their performance, identify areas for improvement and gain recognition both locally and internationally.
“Our intention is not simply to present trophies. We want our award winners to receive greater international visibility and to be promoted through international marketing channels and relevant global recognition platforms,” Hettigoda said.
THASL Vice President and Steering Committee Chairman Eksath Wijerathne said the awards were particularly important as the industry sought to strengthen Sri Lanka’s position as a global tourism destination.
“When we promote excellence in Sri Lanka tourism, we are not solely promoting individual entities. We are also promoting the destination Sri Lanka,” he said.
Wijerathne noted that THASL, which has represented the hotel sector for more than six decades, currently represents more than 116 hotels and resorts, accounting for a significant share of the country’s formal accommodation capacity.
He said stakeholders that had remained committed to tourism through difficult periods deserved recognition, while stressing that the private sector and tourism authorities needed to work together to ensure sustainable growth.
Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely platform to showcase the quality of Sri Lanka’s formal tourism sector and counter negative perceptions created by unregulated accommodation providers.
He said the awards could help showcase premium hotels, accommodation and tourism products to international audiences while encouraging quality operators in the informal sector to move towards greater formalisation.
“This initiative is one way of recognising industry excellence and showcasing that excellence to the world,” Hewawasam said, adding that the Tourism Promotion Bureau was prepared to support the initiative as an active partner.
He also said the awards could complement Sri Lanka’s broader tourism marketing efforts by providing international visibility for the country’s strongest tourism products and experiences.
To ensure credibility, the awards will be governed through an Advisory Committee, a Technical Committee and an independent Panel of Judges. The Technical Committee will oversee the assessment framework and technical evaluation, while final winners will be determined independently based on evidence and scores.
Sri Lanka Tourism Excellence Awards Consultant Prashantha Abeykoon presented the detailed framework, including the award categories, eligibility requirements, assessment methodology, judging process and benefits for participants.
The awards gala is scheduled for January 2027 and is expected to bring together tourism industry leaders, policymakers, investors, sponsors and international stakeholders.
THASL said the initiative ultimately seeks to make excellence a defining characteristic of Sri Lanka’s tourism industry while strengthening the country’s reputation as a high-quality, sustainable and globally competitive destination.
