As the PATA Chairperson for 2009 to 2010, Phornsiri Manoharan from Thailand took up her new position recently, Hiran Cooray was announced as Chairman Elect, who will take up his position, at the next AGM in April, in Malaysia.
Hiran Cooray will be the Chairman of PATA, for the period 2010 to 2011. Hiran Cooray was bestowed this honour at the Annual General Meeting of PATA, held on April 20. This is the first time a Sri Lankan will take up this high office, in PATA.
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), is a membership association based in Bangkok, which acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry.
Hiran Cooray, the Chairman of the Jetwing brand has become synonymous with the top hotel properties in Sri Lanka. As he took over as Managing Director of Jetwing Hotels in 1987, he built a reputation for creating specialist boutique hotels that cater to a fast expanding clientele.
On a larger scale, Hiran Cooray is actively involved in repositioning Sri Lanka tourism, through driving Jetwing Hotels to attain higher overall standards and develop an innate understanding of the discerning visitor. The environmentally friendly properties such as Jetwing Vil Uyana, and Jetwing Kurulubedda stand as testimony of this predisposition. The new ventures that he is spearheading in Cambodia and Laos typify the determination to extend the local experience and expertise beyond Sri Lanka.
Currently he serves on the Board of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). Furthermore, he also serves on the Board of The Small Luxury Hotels of the World, and is currently the Secretary and Treasurer of PATA International.
Hiran Cooray has served PATA since 1996 and has received several awards for his outstanding work. He also had the distinction of serving as Vice President of the Asia Pacific region, of the International Hotels and Restaurants Association based in Paris. An Immediate Past President of the Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), he was conferred the title of ‘Sri Lanka Sikhamani’ by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga for his contribution to the trade.
S Kalaiselvam, Director General of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), representing Sri Lanka at the PATA Board Directors’ meeting and AGM held in Macau this year, said that the advantage of participating at the PATA meeting was to get to know the latest trends in tourism and have the opportunity of networking with key tourism professions. |
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