Australia Sri Lanka Business Council

30/08/2024

30/08/2024

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04/07/2024

Sri Lanka celebrated a major milestone by welcoming its one millionth tourist of the year! In 2023, the country saw over 1.4 million tourists, marking an impressive 106% growth.

04/07/2024

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PickMe strengthens governance structure with three new independent directors

PickMe heading to a decade of successful operations has strengthened its governance structure with the appointment of three independent directors to its Board.

The trio are Virtusa-fame Keith Modder, ex-John Keells Holdings’ and financial specialists Mano Rajakariar and top transport and logistics expert Prof. Amal Kumarage.

PickMe Chairman Ajit Gunewardene said the appointments were to support the Company’s ambitious future plans and their wide and varied experience will add significant value.

In its 9th year of operation, PickMe in FY24, saw pre-tax profit soar to Rs. 993 million from Rs. 69 million in the previous year. The economic value that the platform created for independent third party drivers and independent merchants rose by 118% to Rs. 39 billion.

The Board of Directors of PickMe comprises Chairman Ajit Gunewardene, CEO/Founder Zulfer Jiffry, Ruchi Gunewardene, Conrad Dias, Travis Roche, Tasnim Salie, Keith Modder, Mano Rajakariar and Prof. Amal Kumarage.

New Independent Director Modder brings with him over three decades of invaluable experience in global business leadership, spanning the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific regions. Prior to his appointment at Sampath Bank, he served as the global Chief Operating Officer of Virtusa Inc. USA, playing a pivotal role in the company’s public listing on the Nasdaq in 2007.

During his tenure, Modder was instrumental in driving sales, profitability, client satisfaction, and employee engagement across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific markets. Additionally, he spearheaded global initiatives in digital transformation, cybersecurity, and software engineering quality and optimisation.

Before his tenure at Virtusa Inc., Modder held senior executive positions, including Managing Director roles at John Keells Office Automation and Keells Business Systems. His illustrious career also includes serving as a Director of the Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology.

25/06/2024

Meetings in Sri Lanka June 2024 Director, Tourist Board

21/06/2024

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02/03/2024

Organic Rubber toys made in Sri Lanka. 🇱🇰
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11/01/2024

Sri Lanka specialised in the sustainable production of solid , sole crepe for , and high-quality surgical for the global market.
More Info 👉 https://bit.ly/3a8FziH

11/01/2024

Princess Royal fly Sri Lankan Airlines to Colombo. 🛬🇱🇰

11/01/2024

📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=866832382117200&id=100063713392723&mibextid=cr9u03

02/01/2024

📸 Watch this video on Facebook https://fb.watch/pjsNZrdULs/?mibextid=v7YzmG

28/12/2023

📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=856459219821183&id=100063713392723&mibextid=cr9u03

Evergreen Group emerges as largest tea producer

Evergreen Group situated in Horangalla, Thalgaswela in the Galle district has produced and sold the highest quantity of tea for a group in Sri Lanka in 2023 with a quantity of 10,256,217 Kgs. 

Chairman Aruna de Silva Deputy Chairman Senal de Silva and Director Minul de Silva are prominent members of the Board.

The group produces both Orthodox and CTC teas. The factories under this entity are certified with RA and ISO certificates and around 30,000 small holders supply green leaf to the factories. The group employs over 4,000 people from the area. Evergreen Group has 13 factories under its operation namely, Evergreen, Brombil, Thundola, Talangaha, Katandola, Wathurawila, Walahanduwa, Hill Garden, Rekadahena, Kanneliya, Lihiniyawa, Marakanda and Devitura

05/09/2023

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30/08/2023

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30/08/2023

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FitsAir crowned as Asia’s most on-time airline

FitsAir, Sri Lanka’s first and only privately-owned low-cost airline and subsidiary of Aberdeen Holdings has been adjudged as Asia’s most punctual airline in July 2023. 

Outflying its peers, FitsAir proudly earned the prestigious accolade for maintaining an impressive 100% on-time performance across its network of international flights.

Reaffirming its unwavering dedication to consistently deliver on-time flights and hassle-free journeys for its passengers, FitsAir was placed at the top of its list on the performance report for July, meticulously compiled by the renowned global aviation analytics company Cirium.

Reflecting on this accomplishment, FitsAir Executive Director Ammar Kassim said: “Our commitment lies in hassle-free travel and on time performance. We are delighted to announce that for the month of July, each day, and every flight, we have successfully delivered on this promise.”

FitsAir launched its international passenger services in October 2022, with a mission to offer affordable and convenient air travel options for everyone. Since then, the airline has experienced a significant increase in demand for its services, primarily due to its focus on affordability and convenience. FitsAir presently operates routes to Chennai, Dubai, and the Maldives, with intentions to further expand its roster by incorporating additional destinations.

FitsAir’s achievements are underpinned by its affiliation with Aberdeen Holdings, a diversified Sri Lankan business conglomerate. This affiliation has played an integral role in the airline’s growth trajectory, reinforcing its position as a key player in Sri Lanka’s aviation landscape.

29/08/2023

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Sri Lanka Tourism set to surpass 900,000 arrivals milestone

Anticipation is running high as Sri Lanka Tourism gears up to surpass the 900,000 arrivals milestone by tomorrow, coinciding with the craze of cricket enthusiasts gathering for the 16th Edition of the Asia Cup.  During the first 27 days of August, Sri Lanka welcomed 123,285 tourists, pushing the year-to-date (YTD) arrivals to 891,198. 

The surpassing of 900,000 arrivals signifies the largest influx of tourists to Sri Lanka in three years.

After experiencing robust growth with a daily average influx of over 5,000 visitors during the early weeks of August, the tourism arrivals landscape has shown a slight dip. The first week of August saw 35,775 tourists, followed by 37,890 in the second week, but this trend slowed down in the third and fourth weeks of the month to 29,347 and 20,273 respectively.

India remains the single largest source market in August and in the overall YTD perspective, whilst the UK, China, Germany, and Russia emerged as the top source markets during the first 27 days of August. Notably, China has shown remarkable progress in terms of YTD basis, highlighting the growing appeal of Sri Lanka’s offerings among Chinese travellers. 

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) will also unveil its Global Promotional Roadmap today at the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM). 

With a strong commitment to upholding high-quality services and attractions, Sri Lanka strategically positions itself to attract high-spending travellers, consequently boosting revenue generation. This focus on delivering exceptional experiences aligns with the broader vision of achieving sustainable growth within the tourism sector.

09/08/2023

Sri Lanka is blessed with over 70 varieties of coloured stones out of the 200 found in the world and is among the five most important gem-bearing nations.
More Info 👉 https://bit.ly/3GQv2pK