Travel & Destination Guides

The Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) on Monday launched the inaugural Sri Lanka Tourism Excellence Awards 2026, a national initiative aimed at recognising outstanding achievements in the tourism and hospitality sector while driving higher industry standards and strengthening Sri Lanka’s global competitiveness.

The awards will honour hotels, restaurants, tourism marketers and hospitality service providers that demonstrate excellence across areas including service delivery, customer experience, product quality, innovation, sustainability, operational performance and leadership.

THASL, the country’s largest private-sector investor in tourism, with investments exceeding $15 billion, said the awards initiative forms part of a broader strategic roadmap introduced under its new leadership. The roadmap focuses on improving service standards, accelerating digital transformation across the hospitality sector and creating stronger connections with global tourism stakeholders.

THASL President Asoka Hettigoda said the initiative was designed to extend beyond recognising individual achievements and instead encourage a culture of continuous improvement throughout the industry.

“Excellence is more than simply being good. It is a continuous pursuit of doing things better. It is about creating value, challenging ourselves to improve and consistently exceeding reasonable expectations,” he said at Monday’s launch.

The awards framework has been developed with reference to internationally recognised excellence models and adapted to the specific needs of Sri Lanka’s tourism industry.

The assessment will cover seven key areas: service and guest experience; product quality, innovation and global reach; sustainability and responsible tourism; operational and financial performance; people; leadership and governance; and destination and socioeconomic impact.

Applicants must be registered with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) for a minimum of three years to qualify. Applications are now open, with submissions closing on 30 November 2026.

Hettigoda said the awards would enable participating organisations to benchmark their performance, identify areas for improvement and gain greater recognition both domestically and internationally.

“Our intention is not simply to present trophies. We want our award winners to receive greater international visibility and to be promoted through international marketing channels and relevant global recognition platforms,” he said.

THASL Vice President and Steering Committee Chairman Eksath Wijerathne said the initiative comes at an important time as Sri Lanka seeks to further strengthen its position as a leading global tourism destination.

“When we promote excellence in Sri Lanka tourism, we are not solely promoting individual entities. We are also promoting the destination Sri Lanka,” he said.

Wijerathne noted that THASL, which has represented Sri Lanka’s hotel sector for more than six decades, currently represents over 116 hotels and resorts, accounting for a significant portion of the country’s formal accommodation capacity.

Sri Lanka is stepping up efforts to establish wellness tourism as a key pillar of its tourism strategy, leveraging its Ayurvedic heritage, natural resources and sustainability credentials to attract high-value travellers from emerging markets.

The initiative was highlighted at the “Positioning Sri Lanka as a Sustainable Wellness Destination” forum held last week by Australia’s Market Development Facility (MDF) in partnership with hotel chain Thema Collection.

Tourism Deputy Minister Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe said Sri Lanka had the essential attributes to develop into a globally recognised wellness destination, but stronger coordination between the Government and the tourism industry was required to transform that potential into increased investment, broader source markets and sustainable growth.

“Sri Lanka has all the elements to become a globally recognised wellness destination, from our Ayurvedic heritage to our culture and hospitality,” he said.