As we welcome a new year, our readers share with us what they hope their industry holds for 2023! Wishing all readers a happy and successful new year.

TRAVEL AND TOURISM 
“All of us in the tourism industry hope and pray that 2023 will be much better than the previous years. I feel that even in 2023, the hotels would be supported largely by our Sri Lankan guests. Though we are hopeful of better tourism in 2023, I believe that the global economic issues that are being faced by most countries will have an impact on the number of tourists travelling on holiday. The increasing cost of living and the increase in electricity tariffs will also present a challenge to all hotels. Let’s hope that the Tourism Minister and his team’s efforts will bear fruit in the new year.” 

Ahintha Amerasinghe, 
Managing Director, Worldlink Travel Group

WILDLIFE AND CONSERVATION
“In 2023, we hope that the present regime would take scientific evidence seriously in matters concerning wildlife and conservation, particularly in two major areas where we are faced with issues today due to loss of habitat and unplanned development – the human-elephant conflicts and the emerging human-leopard conflicts. We hope that 2023 has more changes for the better and that the solutions put forward by scientists and the WNPS will be fearlessly implemented and that we can look into long-term solutions to these problems without any political influence”.

Spencer Manuelpillai
The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS)

FASHION AND DESIGN 
“Hoping 2023 to be a year of interesting opportunities for design entrepreneurship to grow, which the country needs. A good sustainable design story (brand) will find consumers in Sri Lanka and overseas. It just needs designers to rethink and refocus on their craft in relevance to the environment the good ideas will grow, which the creative industry needs. With stability slowly returning - the only way is up!”.

Ajai Vir Singh 
Founder, Colombo Fashion Week

BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
“I believe that 2023 is going to be one of the most challenging ones for businesses and entrepreneurs to deliver to their customers given the limited resources and the current economic conditions. However, as entrepreneurs, we are pushed to think beyond and see innovative ways to get our offerings out so it’s least stressful to the customer and I believe that 2023 will test entrepreneurs to be creative and go beyond.”

Ranjula Herath 
Entrepreneur and Founder, FLABULOUS

FOOD AND CULINARY 
“One goal in my mind for the new year – and I hope it’s a goal across the industry – is to keep people healthy through food. Today, the food in the industry is veering towards being overly processed with a lot of ingredients. What we need in terms of change are local, farm-to-table meals that are cooked with fresh ingredients. I love the idea of going back to the root – everything made from scratch, prepared over an open fire. We have a great opportunity to leverage our simple, traditional methods of cooking to the world.”

Chef Kapila Jayasinghe  
Cluster Executive Chef – Cinnamon Grand and Cinnamon Lakeside

MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT
“I believe that in 2023, the industry will flourish but for entertainment productions of our nature, it’s going to be a stretch. We’ve experienced high costs in 2022 during our productions and I imagine it will be higher in 2023. I believe that private sector support will be necessary for the industry to do well. Though surely the entertainment industry will face challenges this year, I think it’s fair to say that people need entertainment and would pay for good entertainment and quality productions”.

Rohan de Lanerolle 
The De Lanerolle Brothers

FILM AND CREATIVES 
“With 2023, we are coming out of a pandemic with the ability to go out and shoot again so I’m hoping more filmmakers will step out with quality entertainment with a commercial value. We’ve seen film industries supplement the economies of other nations (like Lord of the Rings for New Zealand) and one can never underestimate the power of good entertainment to not only bring in an income but also to change worldviews. Likewise, my hope for 2023 is that the quality of cinema in Sri Lanka reaches international standards as we have the necessary equipment and talent - all we need is a change in attitude!”.

Akash Sunethkumara 
Founder, High School Junkies