History

The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) has been an integral part of Sri Lanka’s tourism and hospitality industry for over six decades. Its origins date back to 9 March 1965, when the Ceylon Tourist Hotels Association, the predecessor of THASL, held its inaugural meeting with a vision to advance the country’s emerging tourism industry. Significantly, the Association was established one year before the Ceylon Tourist Board, which was created under the Ceylon Tourist Board Act No. 10 of 1966 to develop tourism in a planned and systematic manner.

Mr. N. K. Choksy, Q.C. was elected as the Association’s first President, serving from 1965/66 to 1967/68. Within its first year, the Association represented 720 graded rooms with a total bed capacity of 1,200, reflecting the foundations of Sri Lanka’s organized hotel industry.

As tourism expanded and membership grew, THASL strengthened its institutional role. In 1973, the Association joined hands with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, enabling it to provide a more comprehensive range of services to its members and strengthening the hotel industry’s links with the wider business community.

Over the decades, THASL has represented the interests of the hotel industry through periods of significant transformation and adversity, including political instability, natural disasters, epidemics and Sri Lanka’s three-decade-long civil conflict. Its leadership has included prominent figures from the country’s hotel and tourism sector, reflecting its longstanding role in industry development and advocacy.

A significant institutional milestone was reached on 11 August 2011, when the Association was registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee under the Companies Act No. 07 of 2007, adopting its present name, The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL).

Today, THASL stands as the apex body of Sri Lanka’s hotel industry, representing approximately 260 + hotels and resorts across the country, including international brands, leading local hotel groups, independent properties and boutique establishments. Its enduring journey reflects a commitment to representing its members, strengthening the hospitality sector and contributing to the sustainable advancement of Sri Lanka’s tourism industry.