News
Sri Lanka-Nepal should enjoy bigger market share in the region – NATTA Secretary
By Harischandra Gunaratna
The Nepal Tour and Travel Agents Association members who visited Sri Lanka recently on a promotional visit were quite optimistic that the two countries could market its tourism product with aggressive and innovative campaigns.
Acting secretary of the Association Jiswan Thuladhar Shreshta told The Island: “Though, initially our mission was to promote Nepal as a destination in Sri Lanka, however on seeing the positive response and the overwhelming enthusiasm shown by the travel agents here to promote the country as a destination in Nepal, we are wholeheartedly supporting the move.
She was of the opinion that with a “Concerted effort Sri Lanka and Nepal should enjoy a bigger market share in tourist arrivals in the region with aggressive promotions and innovative thinking.”
She said, ‘It was a totally a successful and a mutually beneficial business mission’.
Jiswan said Nepal had more than mountains to offer to tourists who desired adventure travel, a luxury honeymooners paradise and the country was essentially a pilgrims’ destination with a number of key Buddhist sites and Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha being the focal point.
She said that during the last three years approximately 1,225,000 tourists had visited Nepal and the tourism authorities there expected the number to increase with the easing of travel restrictions due to the pandemic.
The senior travel agent said Sri Lanka was blessed with all the key ingredients required to become a top tourist destination in the region and with aggressive promotions and a hands-on approach it could be achieved.
During her visit here, Jiswan visited the beaches and the hill country and said she was highly impressed with the cleanliness of the hotels, warm hospitality and the exotic cuisine.
Nilmin Nanayakkara, Chairman/Managing Director, Nkar Travels and Tours (Pvt) Ltd, the livewire behind the visit of the Nepalese travel agents to Sri Lanka said, that the meetings the members of the IATA agents Association of Sri Lanka and the Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka had with their Nepalese counterparts were quite successful “and we need to get cracking from here”.
Nanayakkara, a veteran travel agent, said hitherto the biggest obstacle both countries faced was non-availability of direct flights and now that SriLankan Airlines was operating four flights a week – Colombo-Kathmandu-Colombo – more holidaymakers would make use of that opportunity.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
