Marking World Tourism Day, which falls on September 27th every year, this year too various tourist zones and hotels across the country celebrated the day in a grand manner, giving a fresh impetus to Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. The Negombo Tourist Association (NTA) further added color to the celebrations by organizing a special World Tourism Day commemoration program yesterday (27/09/2026) evening at the “Banyan by Sentido Heritance” restaurant premises, located in front of the Heritance Hotel in the Negombo tourist zone.
History of World Tourism Day:
World Tourism Day was proclaimed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in 1980. Its main objective is to raise awareness within the international community about the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political, and economic impact. This day is celebrated every year on September 27th because the UNWTO statutes were adopted on this date in 1970. The primary goals of the day are to foster international understanding, peace, and prosperity through tourism.
A Cultural Feast in Negombo:
The program held in Negombo featured several cultural dance and musical items that brilliantly showcased the country’s cultural identity. Negombo Assistant Divisional Secretary Lanka Bannayake graced the occasion as the chief guest, while Negombo Cultural Affairs Officer Dilusha Fernando and other distinguished guests participated.
All the dance and musical performances of the program were presented under the auspices of the Cultural Council established within the Negombo Divisional Secretariat division. A special feature was that these dance performances were presented by members of registered dance institutes under the Negombo Cultural Council. The dances showcased here were arranged to reflect the country’s cultural diversity and unique identity among communities.
An Evening Blending Knowledge and Entertainment:
Negombo Assistant Divisional Secretary Lanka Bannayake delivered a special speech, and NTA President A. Warnakumara addressed the gathering. Additionally, Attorney Nalani Hansamala Jayatilaka—a retired Deputy Commissioner of Labor and the loving wife of Nelson Godamanna (the son of Kalaśūri N. S. Godamanna, the artist who created the world-renowned mural paintings at St. Mary’s Church on Grand Street, Negombo)—delivered a special lecture on the historical and environmental landmarks of the city of Negombo. This lecture successfully provided visiting tourists with a clear understanding and guidance about Negombo.
The flute performance by Music Visharada Sahan Thilini Perera and the fire dance item presented by Bhupathi Turvisha Sigera, an 8th-grade student from the Negombo Sashikiran Dance Institute, drew intense attention from foreign tourists. The foreign tourists were seen expressing their joy by applauding while watching the fire dance performance.
New Hopes for Negombo’s Tourism:
Expressing his views to the media regarding the program, NTA President A. Warnakumara stated that through this program organized to celebrate World Tourism Day, they were able to showcase the value of cultural elements shining through the nation’s proud history and attract foreign tourists while raising awareness among them. He expressed his belief that this would help strengthen Negombo’s tourism industry, adding that the association intends to implement a large slate of programs including such initiatives in the future.
Owners and senior officials of prominent hotels in the Negombo tourist zone, along with guests, a large group of foreign tourists from various countries, and Sri Lankan tourists participated to watch this special program. In particular, foreign tourists were seen enthusiastically enjoying the Sri Lankan dance performances presented during the event.
The cultural program held in Negombo for World Tourism Day can be marked as a remarkable occasion that successfully showcased the country’s identity to other nations of the world, thereby giving a fresh breath of life to the tourism industry.
Note and Photographs:
Thushara Rohan Fernando
