SAMAS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Solimar International
Dr. Don Hawkins is the Chairman of Solimar International, an international firm supporting global development through sustainable tourism. After 44 years of service, he retired as Professor Emeritus of Management and Tourism Studies, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA. Until 1999, he served as the Director of the International Institute of Tourism Studies (IITS), which he initiated in 1988 as the first education center established in collaboration with the UNWTO. He was appointed as the Dwight D. Eisenhower Professor of Tourism Policy (an endowed chair) in 1994. He also served as the first Chairman of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at GW.
In 2003, he received the first World Tourism Organization Ulysses Prize for individual accomplishments in the creation and dissemination of knowledge in tourism policy and strategic management. He served as Special Advisor to UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai for the Knowledge Network from 2012-2017. Since 2016, he has served as senior advisor to HM Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica's Minister of Tourism and assisted in the development of the Jamaica Center of Tourism Innovation.
He is Chairman Emeritus of Sustainable Travel International, Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance and the SAVE Travel Alliance.
Over his career he has authored, co-authored or edited 22 refereed journal articles, 15 books and 23 book chapters. Since 1999, he has delivered 7 national and 130 international speeches or panel presentations. His body of scholarly and professional work encompasses the following areas of expertise or interest: (a) strategic planning and policy development; (b) workforce development, education and training; (c) development assistance and investment from bilateral and multilateral donors; (d) park and protected area management; (e) meeting, conference, and event planning; (f) trade and non-government organization association management; (g) resource conservation and environmental education; (h) micro, small and medium enterprise development; (i) business merger and acquisition facilitation, and (j) Specialized forms of place-based tourism related to nature, agriculture, health, culture, handcrafts and indigenous peoples.
He has been extensively engaged in sustainable tourism activities globally, including policy analysis, strategic planning, human capital development, investment promotion or technical assistance in Ras Al Khaimah, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Myanmar, Republic of Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Tanzania, Senegal, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, Jamaica, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Lucia, Dominican Republic, Panama, Venezuela, Argentina, Canada and the United States.
Dr. Rohantha Athukorala is one of Sri Lanka's respected marketing professional with 17 years experience working for top British multinationals Unilever, ReckittBenckiser and Diverseylever, winning twice the 'Best Marketer' by Chartered Institute of Marketing and 'Business Achiever' award PIM, University of Sri Jayawardenapura.
Has served the country as Chairman and Board Director Sri Lanka Export Development Board when Exports crossed $10 billion. Then as Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism he restructured the organization and drove strategy for the country to attract 1.8 million visitors and there after the Cabinet of Ministers- Government of Sri Lanka appointed Dr Athukorala as the commissioner General- Sri Lanka, for World Expo 2015 in Italy. He then went to be the Chairman of the 30 billion rupee retail chain Lanka Sathosa where he turned around the organization to operating profitability.
Dr Rohantha Athukorala has served 3 Presidents of Sri Lanka during his tenure in the public sector and then went on to serve the United Nations(UNOPS) for 5 years where the 'Best Project' was won for Sri Lanka.
He is currently Board Director - Hemas Leisure/Aviation Group and many other Private and public sector boards. Academically, he has a double degree in marketing, of MBA and doctorate in business administration. Alumni of Harvard Kennedy, a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International.
Mrs. Nanayakkara was the first woman executive to join a Commercial Bank, namely, the Bank of Ceylon, and holds the rare distinction of becoming the first woman General Manager/CEO of a Bank in Sri Lanka and the Asian Region. She served as Director GM/CEO of one of the largest private banks, namely, Seylan Bank, as well as, Chairperson/Director of several financial institutions, such as the National Development Bank, DFCC Bank, Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka, First Capital Group of Companies and the LOLC Group of Companies.
Mrs. Nanayakkara was a past Chairperson of both Taprobane Holdings Ltd and the Browns Group of Companies. Presently she is a Director of Overseas Realty (Ceylon) PLC, Mireka Capital Land (Pvt) Ltd, Mireka Homes (Pvt) Ltd, Havelock City (Pvt) Ltd, as well as subsidiary companies of the Browns Group. She is a trustee of the National Trust of Sri Lanka.
Mrs. Nanayakkara holds a Second Class BA (Hons) Degree from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. She also holds a Diploma in French from the Chamber of Commerce, Brussels. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Management and the Institute of Bankers, Sri Lanka and a Past President of the Sri Lanka Bankers Association and the Association of Professional Bankers. She was a member of the Commission of the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka and the Task Force setup by the Government for Tsunami re-construction.
John Koldowski is currently a Professor within the School of Tourism at Leshan Normal University, Sichuan Province, China, where he continues in his role as a researcher and educator - the latter to pass on his knowledge and experience in order to prepare the next generation of tourism specialists to enter the workforce with a deep and practical understanding of the dynamics and systems of today's travel sector.