The Art of Sustainable Travel: A Minister’s Academic Triumph
Hon. Deputy Minister of Tourism, Sri Lanka, Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe, has recently been honored with a prestigious Professorship by Sichuan University, China, recognizing his outstanding contributions to cultural heritage research and sustainable tourism development. This remarkable achievement highlights the powerful blend of academic excellence and visionary leadership that Prof. Ranasinghe embodies.
Having earned his PhD in Tourism Management from Sichuan University in 2017, Prof. Ranasinghe returned to Sri Lanka with a mission: to elevate the country’s tourism landscape through education and innovation. He founded the Department of Tourism Studies at Uva Wellassa University, serving as its first Head and Dean of the Faculty of Management. His academic leadership laid the foundation for his current role as Deputy Minister of Tourism, where he continues to promote a responsible and sustainable approach to travel.
During his recent visit to Sichuan University, Prof. Ranasinghe engaged in fruitful discussions with Chinese academics and university leaders, emphasizing the importance of sustainable tourism and heritage conservation. The symposium at the School of History and Culture highlighted strategies for transforming Sri Lanka’s tourism sector through international collaboration and digital innovation.
A key milestone from this partnership is the integration of Sri Lanka’s National Tourism and Hospitality Research Institute into the China-Sri Lanka Interdisciplinary Research Center for Cultural Heritage and Tourism—an initiative that Prof. Ranasinghe helped to establish during his doctoral studies.
The Professorship, jointly conferred by the Schools of History and Culture, Tourism, and Archaeology and Museology at Sichuan University, not only honors Prof. Ranasinghe’s scholarly achievements but also symbolizes the deepening academic and cultural ties between Sri Lanka and China under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Prof. Ranasinghe’s journey from scholar to policymaker exemplifies the art of sustainable travel—where knowledge, culture, and innovation converge to craft a vibrant, responsible future for tourism.
