The International Center for Tourism and Hospitality (ICTH) of NSBM Green University, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Hospitality Graduates Association (SLHGA), successfully hosted the International Hospitality and Tourism Conference 2025 (I-HOST 2025) on 04th September 2025 at the NSBM Green University Auditorium. The event was organized in line with the global celebrations of World Tourism Day 2025.

With the theme of empowering undergraduates to become future-ready hospitality professionals while building their own personal brand for lasting success, the conference set the stage for knowledge exchange, industry collaboration, and academic inspiration.

Two distinguished keynote speakers graced the event: Mr. Darsh Gallage, Director – Hospitality, City of Dreams, and Mr. Niroshan De Silva, President – Institute of Hospitality and CEO – Laugfs Leisure. Their addresses were followed by two dynamic panel discussions that enriched the conference with diverse industry insights.

The first panel was moderated by Mr. Patrick Pereira, President – SLHGA, and featured a distinguished lineup: Mr. Darsh Gallage, Prof. Chaminda Rathnayake, Deputy Vice Chancellor – NSBM Green University, Ms. Ishara Naufal, Chief People Officer – Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, and Mr. Dinesh Hettiarachchi, Group General Manager – Macksons Hotels.

The second panel, moderated by Mr. Lasitha De Silva, Senior Lecturer – NSBM Green University, included Mr. Niroshan De Silva, Ms. Thilini De Silva, Dean – Faculty of Business, NSBM Green University, Mr. Thakshila Galappaththy, Hotel Manager – City of Dreams, and Mr. Duminda Wijesinghe, Vice President, Learning & Development – Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts.

The conference welcomed the participation of leading universities and institutions, including the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management, William Angliss Institute, Sri Lanka Technology Campus, Esoft University, Cinnamon Hospitality Academy, University College of Rathmalana, and NSBM Green University.

Running alongside the conference was the Destination Sri Lanka – Inter-University Edition Knowledge Challenge, where teams showcased their passion and expertise in tourism and hospitality. The University College of Rathmalana emerged as the champions, with the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka securing the runners-up position.

Marking a true milestone in academia-industry collaboration, I-HOST 2025 served as a vibrant platform for dialogue, networking, and future-focused engagement, strengthening the foundations of Sri Lanka’s tourism and hospitality sector. The success of this event was made possible thanks to the generous support of Hilton Colombo, Luminary Solutions, SLHGA, ICTH, Maadu Resort, Mandarina Colombo, and Raffles.