Ex-CEO Peter Hill urges SriLankan to revive ‘Indian Ocean Hub’ strategy with Africa focus

Peter Hill

Former SriLankan Airlines CEO Peter Hill has called on the airline to revive its once-successful strategy of becoming the “hub of the Indian Ocean,” outlining a specific blueprint for network expansion into the African continent. Speaking at the International Tourism Leaders Summit 2025 in Colombo, Hill urged the national carrier to look beyond traditional routes and adopt a strategic, multi-layered approach to capture new markets. His advice comes at a critical juncture for the airline as it navigates a competitive aviation landscape.

The core of Hill’s proposal is a novel entry strategy into Africa. Instead of potentially unsustainable direct services, he recommended a more nuanced approach.

“The first step in my thinking is to go to those markets through one of the islands in the Indian Ocean,” Hill explained to the audience of industry leaders.

This “island-hopping” strategy, he argued, would double the airline’s potential by serving both the intermediate island destination and the final African city. It would also position Colombo as a key transit point for travellers from East Asia and Europe heading to these growing markets, thus reinforcing the hub concept.

To underscore the viability of this vision, Hill pointed to his own tenure at the airline as a proven case study. He recalled the period when SriLankan Airlines aggressively expanded its Indian network to become the largest foreign carrier operating to the neighbouring giant. “We managed to develop services into India up to 100 frequencies a week to 10 destinations at that time,” Hill stated, presenting this historic success as a blueprint that can be adapted for new regions. (NF)

“If that can be done with a close nation like India, it can also be done with more diverse markets.” Ultimately, Hill’s vision positions the national carrier not merely as a point-to-point service, but as a strategic enabler for Sri Lanka’s tourism and economic goals by building critical international connectivity.