HISHAN SINGHAWANSA APPOINTED CEO OF CINNAMON HOTELS & RESORTS, OUTLINES VISION FOR THE FUTURE (Sri Lanka)
Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, has appointed Mr. Hishan Singhawansa as its new Chief Executive Officer, unveiling the vision to strengthen the brand's role as one of the largest contributors to Sri Lanka's tourism sector and position the country's standing as a global destination.Category: Asia Pacific - Sri Lanka - Appointments
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2025-09-04
|
 Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts Names Hishan Singhawansa as New CEO
“Sri Lanka has the assets to be one of the most desired destinations in the world. What we need now is scale, innovation, and consistency. Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is at the forefront of showcasing this potential, offering luxury, lifestyle, and authentic experiences that appeal to travellers globally. We harness technology and innovation to deliver seamless, personalised guest experiences, while ensuring sustainability and inclusivity remain at the heart of our growth,” said Singhawansa.
“Our resorts in the Maldives further embody this vision, championing international standards, sustainability, and experiential travel.”
The chain’s recently launched Cinnamon Life is a landmark US$1.2 billion integrated resort in Colombo, and the largest development of its kind in South Asia.
With 687 rooms, over 160,000 sq. ft. of MICE facilities for up to 5,000 guests, and a mix of residences, retail, dining, and entertainment, Cinnamon Life is expected to create 20,000 jobs and firmly establish Colombo as a regional MICE powerhouse among Singapore, Bangkok, and Dubai.
Beyond infrastructure, Cinnamon is investing in fostering talent through the Cinnamon Hospitality Academy, which focuses on upskilling Sri Lanka’s workforce to be on par with world class hospitality standards and attracting more young people to an exciting and rewarding industry.
The academy also places emphasis on increasing women’s participation in hospitality, with a target of reaching 30% within the next three years, alongside initiatives such as EmpowHer, which create safer, more inclusive workplaces. Meanwhile, Cinnamon Nature Trails, the brand’s wildlife and experiential tourism arm, continues to act as the country’s destination experts, offering authentic, conservation-led journeys that align with global travel trends.
“Tourism is about economic transformation and community empowerment,” added Singhawansa.
“Our priority is to become a catalyst for change, delivering world-class experiences, and ensuring tourism uplifts the communities we operate in.”
As the only Sri Lankan brand to be part of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts connects with over 30 million members worldwide through its loyalty programme, Cinnamon Discovery.
Combined with a portfolio of 17 hotels and resorts across Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is uniquely positioned to play a central role in shaping Sri Lanka’s tourism recovery and future growth bringing together authenticity, innovation, and scale to strengthen both Sri Lanka’s and the Maldives’ profile as leading global destinations.
About Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts
Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is a diverse chain of hotels spanning Sri Lanka and the Maldives and a member of John Keells Holdings PLC, one of the largest listed conglomerates in Sri Lanka, with diverse interests in sectors ranging from Leisure, Transportation, Property, Consumer Food & Retail, Financial Services, Information Technology, Business Process Operations to Plantations.
This pioneering hotel chain was launched at The World Travel Market in London on 14 November 2005. Since its launch, it has come to represent a uniquely Cinnamon experience and has steadily risen to become the leading choice for travellers in Sri Lanka. The Cinnamon brand boasts a portfolio of vibrant and modern hotels, colourful and inspiring, unswervingly hospitable and committed to satisfying all patrons' varied and discerning needs.
Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is the pinnacle of Sri Lankan hospitality through comfort, creativity, discovery, and inspired living. Each property is designed to showcase and complement the local environment, character, culture, and traditions of the area it serves. From jungle cabanas to city luxury, water villas in the Maldives to beach chalets in Sri Lanka, each resort is designed to take you on a memorable journey into discovery.
The Cinnamon Group features three city properties in Colombo, nine resort properties around Sri Lanka, four resorts in the Maldives, and a host of new and exciting projects on the horizon. And the US$1.2 Billion Cinnamon Life Integrated Resort, which is the latest addition to the luxury portfolio, opened in 2024.
Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, your partner and faithful guide to a timeless and fascinating 'Emerald Isle'.
Cinnamon DISCOVERY is the brand’s loyalty programme, offered in partnership with the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, and is part of the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty platform.
|
|