Tourism Advisory Group

Alliance Co-Chair Malik J. Fernando, a Director of MJF Holdings & Dilmah Tea, is also the Managing Director of Resplendent Ceylon, a collection of small, luxury resorts offering the discerning traveller a remarkable experience across Sri Lanka. Having completed his secondary education in the UK, Malik moved to the USA to complete his tertiary education at Babson College, Boston. His first foray into the tourism industry was Ceylon Tea Trails, comprising five restored Tea Planter Bungalows which have now become iconic. Resplendent Ceylon currently has three resorts, with Cape Weligama and Wild Coast Tented Lodge, and three more in development. Through Malik’s leadership, Resplendent Ceylon has established itself firmly in Sri Lanka’s burgeoning luxury tourism space with all three resorts winning global acclaim as the finest in the country. Malik also serves as a director of SriLankan Airlines and SriLankan Catering.

Alliance Co- Chair Shiromal Cooray is the Chairperson & Managing Director of Jetwing Travels (Pvt) Ltd and Chairperson, Jetwing Hotels Ltd. Hailing from a background in Finance and Management, Shiromal began her career in advertising and has experience both in Sri Lanka as well as international experience in the UK and Hong Kong. She was a former Finance Director of J. Walter Thompson Ltd (Colombo), a past Chairman of the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors (SLID), and past President of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators. Shiromal holds an MBA from the University of Colombo, and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants UK.

With over 35 years' experience in the Tourism industry, Abbas Esufally has played a pivotal role in expanding the Hemas Group's Leisure interest. He serves as a Group Director of Hemas Holdings PLC, Chairman of Serendib Hotels PLC, Dolphin Hotels PLC, Hotel Sigiriya PLC as well as Diethelm Travel Sri Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, a premier Destination Management Company. He has played an active part in the growth and development of the country's Tourism industry. Abbas serves as the Chairman of the Mercantile Service Provident Society of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and is a Member of the Advisory Committee of the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka. With his valuable experience and insights into the industry, he is a valuable member of the Alliance’s core leadership team.

With 30+ years of experience in tourism and hospitality, specialising in sales and marketing for hotels and resorts in Sri Lanka and Maldives, Amal is currently a sought after marketing consultant for hospitality companies with local and international affiliations. Amal has been Regional Director of Sales Sri Lanka and Maldives for Taj Group of Hotels for 21 years and has also headed the sales and marketing operations for Aitken Spence Hotels. She presently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, and was a Board Member of the Sri Lanka Promotions Bureau. She held the position of Vice President of Colombo City Hotels Association and was Chairperson of PATA’s Sri Lanka chapter. She is known for her strategic thinking, problem solving, crisis management and revenue maximising skills as well as her unique initiatives and lateral ideas. Among her many awards and accolades is “Zonta Woman of Achievement Award for Tourism” in 2009, as well as the “Women in Management - Tourism Gold Award” in 2015 in recognition of her contribution to the industry.

Top tourism industry professional Dileep Mudadeniya, possessing 18+ years of experience in travel, tourism, communications and strategic planning is the current CEO of Cinnamon Life Mall, VP-John Keells Group, Head of Brand Marketing Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, and Founder of the Center of Research and Sustainable Studies in Tourism. He has been serving Sri Lanka Tourism both here as well as overseas and was instrumental in the development of a brand strategy for Sri Lanka Tourism. Notable among his many initiatives is the implementation of the first ever international destination marketing campaign, introduction of new guidelines for tourism services registration, as well as the development of investor guidelines. Dileep is a graduate of the University of Colombo, Attorney-at-Law, Chartered and Fellow Marketer of Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) in the UK and has a Postgraduate Diploma and an MBA in Marketing.

Harith has a wealth of experience in Sales, Marketing, Branding and Finance. Having joined Hemas FMCG in 1997 he was subsequently part of the team launching Diethelm Travel in Sri Lanka & Maldives in 2006 where he functioned as the Managing Director until 2018.

He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK and has an MBA from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. Harith is the immediate Past President of Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) and a former Board member of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau (SLTPB). He is also a founder member of the Tourism Alliance of Sri Lanka.

He is currently the Executive Vice President – Business Development of Acorn Ventures (Pvt) Ltd.

Having moved to Sri Lanka in 2007, following roles at Leading Hotels of the World as well as Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts in London, Henry has spearheaded the growth of one of Sri Lanka’s leading boutique hotel companies, Teardrop Hotels. As one of the company founders, and in his role as Managing Director for the past 12 years, he has been directly responsible for the development of Teardrop into a collection of six luxury hotels around the island, as well as one of Colombo’s most vibrant restaurants, Monsoon, at Park Street Mews.

Sanath Ukwatte is the Chairman and Managing Director of the Mount Lavinia Hotel and Ceylon Hotels, owning and managing hotel chains in both Sri Lanka and Maldives. He is the Founder, Chairman of the International Hotel School in Mount Lavinia and has served on the Board of Directors of the National Carrier, Sri Lankan Airlines and its catering arm. He was also elected as the President of the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka in October 2016. With experience of nearly three decades in the tourism and hotel industry, he is well known domestically as well as internationally for his contribution to the Sri Lankan business community. His efforts garnered him the prestigious Sri Lankan ‘Sikhamani Award’, presented by the president of Sri Lanka to individuals making significant contributions to the nation’s business community. He completed his tertiary education at the Alliant International University, formally known as United States International University, in San Diego, California.