Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is increasingly recognizing the importance of local participation, entrepreneurship, and destination stewardship in creating sustainable tourism growth. In a significant step towards expanding tourism opportunities for local people and communities across Sri Lanka, SANASA Federation in Sri Lanka and Traveleye Alliance Sri Lanka have entered into a strategic partnership to advance People-Powered Tourism across the country.
The partnership was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Dr. L. B. Dasanayake, Chairman of SANASA Federation, and Mr. Pradeepthi Hemachandra, Founder & CEO of Traveleye Alliance Sri Lanka, a tourism ecosystem developer specializing in People-Powered Tourism and tourism ecosystem development. The signing took place in the presence of directors and senior officials representing both organizations, on 3rd June 2026.
The collaboration brings together SANASA’s extensive community network and Traveleye Alliance’s expertise in People-Powered Tourism and tourism ecosystem development to create new opportunities through People-Powered Travel Experiences, Themed Accommodation, and other tourism services and ventures that reflect the strengths and unique identities of local communities. Through its People-Powered Tourism Framework, Traveleye Alliance works to strengthen tourism ecosystems by connecting communities, tourism enterprises, destinations, travellers, and value chains to create shared and sustainable value.
Through its network of Primary Societies and District Unions across Sri Lanka, SANASA Federation is well positioned to support community participation, local entrepreneurship, and the development of People-Powered Tourism opportunities across the country.
Creating Tourism Opportunities for SANASA Primary Societies and Their Members
Through this partnership, SANASA Primary Societies and their members will be encouraged to explore opportunities within the tourism sector through the development of People-Powered Travel Experiences, Themed Accommodation, and other tourism services and ventures that showcase the culture, heritage, environment, traditions, livelihoods, and stories of their communities.
The initiative seeks to enable SANASA members and local communities to play a more active role in tourism, not only as beneficiaries, but also as hosts, experience providers, entrepreneurs, operators, and partners in tourism development. Potential initiatives may include cultural immersion experiences, agricultural and rural tourism activities, nature and wellness experiences, culinary experiences, hosted stays, and other People-Powered Tourism Ventures inspired by local culture, traditions, livelihoods, and destination assets.
These initiatives may create new opportunities for entrepreneurship, income generation, employment creation, and local value creation while helping local people participate more directly in the tourism economy and visitor experience.
In addition to tourism venture development, the collaboration will support tourism awareness, skills development, networking, and enterprise support initiatives that help tourism stakeholders become more capable, connected, and market-ready.
Contributing to Stronger Tourism Destinations
Beyond individual tourism ventures, the collaboration seeks to contribute to stronger and more resilient tourism destinations through local participation, collaboration, and stewardship.
As a tourism ecosystem builder, Traveleye Alliance focuses on strengthening the connections between communities, tourism enterprises, destinations, travellers, and markets. Through ecosystem facilitation and stakeholder collaboration, the partnership aims to foster tourism growth that generates broader social, cultural, and economic benefits while supporting long-term destination development.
By connecting people, enterprises, experiences, and destinations, the initiative seeks to create tourism ecosystems that are more inclusive, locally rooted, and sustainable over the long term.
Looking Ahead
The partnership represents a shared commitment to creating a more inclusive and participatory tourism industry in Sri Lanka, one where local people can play a more active role in shaping tourism opportunities within their destinations.
As Sri Lanka continues to strengthen its position as a leading tourism destination, the collaboration between SANASA Federation and Traveleye Alliance demonstrates how community networks, entrepreneurship, and People-Powered Tourism can work together to create meaningful opportunities for local people while enriching the experiences available to visitors.
By empowering SANASA Primary Societies and their members to participate more actively in tourism development while strengthening the wider tourism ecosystem through enterprise development, destination facilitation, and stakeholder collaboration, the initiative seeks to create lasting value for people, destinations, and future generations.
