SriLankan Airlines walked away with the prestigious ‘President’s Gold Award’ at the Golden Jubilee of the Maldives tourism industry and the ‘Visitors Choice – Airline of the Year’ award at the 6th South Asian Travel Awards (SATA). The President’s Gold Award was conferred in recognition of SriLankan’s outstanding service to the Maldivian tourism industry for half a century, whilst the winners of SATA were selected by a regional panel of judges and through votes cast online by passengers. The wins prove once again that SriLankan Airlines remains a powerhouse in commercial aviation in the region.
The President’s Gold Award for Tourism was presented at the Golden Jubilee Gala of Maldivian Tourism held on 3 October 2022. SriLankan Airlines was among a handful of recipients recognized for contributing exceptionally to develop tourism in the Maldives. Dimuthu Tennakoon, Head of Worldwide Sales & Distribution of SriLankan Airlines accepted the exclusive award from the President of the Maldives, His Excellency Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
The South Asian Travel Awards have been endorsed by over 16 regional and international bodies, and aims to raise industry standards by recognizing stellar organizations within the hospitality and travel trade in South Asia. Launched in 2016, SATA has grown steadily over the years attracting the participation of some of the biggest names in the trade from India; Sri Lanka; the Maldives; Bangladesh; Nepal; and Bhutan. Vice President of the Maldives, Honourable Faisal Naseem; Dr. Abdullah Mausoom, the Minister of Tourism in the Maldives; and Ismail Hameed, Chairman of SATA, were present at this year’s ceremony which took place on 29 September 2022. Representing SriLankan Airlines at the event were Jayantha Abeysinghe, Regional Manager Sri Lanka & Indian Ocean and Fawzan Fareid, Manager Maldives, who accepted the award on behalf of the airline.
The two awards won by SriLankan Airlines is a testament to the airline’s strength and stability in South Asia. The airline currently operates 90 flights a week to nine cities across India; seven weekly flights each to Bangladesh and Pakistan; and five weekly flights to Nepal.
SriLankan Airlines has also maintained a significant presence in the Maldives over the years, and is the only airline to operate to two destinations in the Maldives at present – Male and Gan Island. The airline flies 23 times a week to the Maldives, providing easy connections to passengers from Europe and the Middle East via Colombo and has played a pivotal role in shaping the island country’s success as one of the most sought-after holiday destinations
