Tourism industry mourns loss of Prema Cooray

Sri Lanka's tourism sector is grieving the loss of a stalwart this week, as industry veteran Prema Cooray passed away. Cooray's death on Tuesday (23) followed a brief illness.

At the time of his passing, Cooray was serving as the Chairman of Citrus Leisure and several of its hotel subsidiaries. His career spanned over three decades and was marked by significant contributions to the hospitality sector.

Cooray played a pivotal role in steering the renowned hotel chain Aitken Spence from 1984 to 2003. Additionally, he was instrumental in expanding Sri Lanka's hospitality expertise to the Maldives in 1991.

His impact extended beyond individual enterprises, as he served as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau from 2007 to 2009, contributing to the development of Sri Lanka's MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism segment.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Cooray was honored with the 'Legend' status at the fifth Sri Lanka Tourism Awards in 2012.

His passing is mourned by colleagues, industry peers, and the tourism community.