By Chandeepa Wettasinghe
Key changes are likely to take place at the four national tourism organizations this week, Mirror Business learns.

Several high profile figures in the tourism industry are in the running for the chairmanships of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau, Sri Lanka Conventions Bureau and the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management.

“So far no decision has been made. The decision will be taken over the course of this week,” Tourism and Christian Affairs Minister John Amaratunga said.
Sources said that some of the present Chairmen are also being reconsidered. Amaratunga was unable to comment on whether any existing heads of the organizations would be retained.

“That, I can’t say. Some may stay, some may not. We’re evaluating them.” 

Some of the other top posts in the organizations are likely to change as well, sources said.

In Sri Lanka, the norm is that government bureaucrats change after elections to meet the criteria of the new governments or ministers, which breaks policy continuity.

However, leading industry figures have raised eyebrows over the performance of some national tourism organizations, both during the past regime and the interim period this year.