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The Tourism Leaders’ Summit & International Tourism Research Symposium – Year 2017, organized by the Department of Economics, Faculty of Arts, ����ԭ�� with the Alumni Association of Tourism Economics and Hospitality Management (AATEHM), Department of Economics, in partnering with the Ministry of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs were held on 3^rd and 4^th Oct 2017, in parallel to the Celebration of the UNWTO World Tourism Day-2017 under the theme of “Sustainable Tourism for Development: Way Forward to Sri Lanka”. The Tourism Leaders’ Summit was on 4^th Oct at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) – Main Hall with a great success.  The summit was held with the patronage of His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. of His Excellency, Hon. Mr. Maithreepala Sirisena, the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka as the Chief Guest under the theme of “Sustainable Tourism for Development: Way Forward to Sri Lanka”.. The Summit was also graced by key figures such as Hon. Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs. Mr. John Amaratunge and Senior Professor Lakshman Dissanayake, Vice Chancellor of the ����ԭ��.

The Tourism Leaders’ Summit included four (4) knowledge-sharing sessions with the participation of several ambassadors representing UK, Australia, Netherlands, Italy, German and also the representatives from World Bank and related organizations, seventeen eminent foreign professors from different countries as Panel Chairs/Panel Members along with leading personalities/practitioners of the tourism industry in Sri Lanka and CEOs of NTOs in different countries. The major sub-themes of the summit are:

• Diplomats’ Dialogue : Creative Diplomacy for Sri Lanka Tourism in 2020
• National Tourism Organizations’ Dialogue : Sri Lanka Tourism Vision 2025
• Tourism Leaders’ Dialogue : Key Driving Forces for Future of Sri Lanka Tourism – 2020
• Industry Experts’ Forum: Innovative Strategies for Yield Management and Higher Profitability in Hotel & Tourism Industry

For further details please refer the website:

The Summit and Symposium were fringed from several activities:

Tourism Walk on 17^th September on “Ensure healthy lives and promote well- being for all at all ages” under the Sustainable Development Goals – No 17. The Tourism Walk organized by the Diploma Students of the Travel &b Tourism Economics and Hotel Management Study Programme at the Department of Economics, ����ԭ��, commenced at Independence Square and ended at ����ԭ�� premises.

An Industry Interactive Cricket Carnival on 24^th September on “Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable tourism development” Sustainable Development Goals – No 17. Cricket Carnival was organized in a bid to create a platform for professionals and students in the tourism industry to interact and engage in a game loved by all.