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President Announces Record Rs. 1,400 Billion Budget Allocationfor Development

Published

4 months ago

July 15, 2025

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasized that this year’s budget has allocated the highest capital expenditure by a government in recent history for development activities, amounting to nearly Rs. 1,400 billion.

The President stated that it is the responsibility of both the political leadership and state officials to ensure that these funds are utilized effectively to meet the economic growth targets before the end of this year.

President Dissanayake further stated that the general public, who are not involved, have fallen victim to the choices made by the political authority and state officials, stressing that this situation must not persist.

The President made these remarks yesterday while attending the Matara District Special Coordination Committee meeting held at the auditorium of the Matara District Secretariat.

Highlighting that the government expects an economic growth rate of 5% this year, the President stated that increased state investments will contribute significantly to this growth.

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Sri Lanka’s Pekoe Trail Named One of the World’s Greatest Places

Published

8 months ago

March 20, 2025

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Sri Lanka’s Pekoe Train has made it to the top of The World’s Greatest Places of 2025, ranked by the prestigious Time Magazine.

The 186-mile Pekoe Trail, completed last March, is named after the high-grade black tea produced on many Sri Lankan estates. This trail, the country’s first long-distance walking path, connects thousands of colonial-era dirt roads and railway tracks constructed by the British.

While local companies have offered trekking tours along parts of the route for years, this marks the first time all 22 sections have been unified into a single trail.

The initiative was led by Sri Lanka-based sustainability consultant Miguel Cunat and funded by the European Union and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

For hikers, the Pekoe Trail provides an intimate exploration of Sri Lanka’s diverse landscapes and rich tea history.

The trail begins in the misty Hanthana mountains near Kandy, winding through tea plantations, eucalyptus forests, quaint villages, and the sacred peak of Sri Pada, before reaching Nuwara Eliya, the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea industry.

A newly launched app enhances the hiking experience by highlighting nearby landmarks, providing segment details, emergency information, and more. Each stage of the trail takes approximately three to six hours to hike, depending on its difficulty, and completing the entire route can take several weeks.

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Sri Lanka Tourism gets professionals as new heads

Published

1 year ago

October 7, 2024

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The Government has appointed new Chairmen for the four key tourism institutions.

Buddhika Hewawasam has been appointed as the Chairman of both the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB).

In addition, Dheera Hettiarachchi has been appointed as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM) and Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB).

Hewawasam, an aviation and travel industry professional, is also the Manager of the Sri Lanka of International Air Transport Association (IATA). Hettiarachchi too is a professional in tourism management and was the SLITHM Cluster Head – Travel and Tourism.

These appointments come after the previous Chairmen stepped down last week.

Both Hewawasam and Hettiarachchi are expected to bring fresh perspectives and leadership to these key organisations, contributing to the overall strategy of developing tourism industry infrastructure and boosting its global appeal as a destination.

With new leadership in place, the Government is hoping to street the sector towards growth and recovery, aiming to lure visitors and boost foreign exchange earnings.

Source – DailyFt