The Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), Buddhika Hewawasam, has resigned, citing personal and professional reasons.
Hewawasam submitted his resignation on Monday in a letter addressed to the Minister of Tourism, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, sent through the Secretary to the Ministry. Hiru News identified the minister as Vijitha Herath.
He served as chairman from October 2024 to August 2026, having taken the post at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Cites arrivals record and awards
In his letter, Hewawasam said it had been a privilege to serve and that he had sought to carry out his responsibilities in the national interest and with a focus on institutional integrity.
He said Sri Lanka recorded its highest-ever number of tourist arrivals during his tenure, despite natural disasters, global socio-political crises affecting travel from key markets, and operational limitations at the airport.
He also said the country received more than 15 international tourism accolades in 2025, placing it among leading global destinations.
Hewawasam said he had worked to bring industry stakeholders together around national tourism objectives and to build confidence in the government’s tourism strategy, and pointed to greater transparency within the SLTDA as a focus of his tenure, describing transparency as an important concern within the industry.
He said he would support an orderly transition to the incoming leadership.
Departure comes mid-season
The resignation lands during a mixed run for the sector. Arrivals passed 1.4 million for the year in early August, and India remained the largest source market with about a quarter of all visitors. But SLTDA data showed arrivals in the first days of August running around 8% below the same period last year.
Neither Ada Derana nor Hiru News reported who will take over the post, or whether a successor has been identified.
